#sam calling himself and being called captain america? check

[imtryingbuck]

Eighteen part two

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader

Summary: Bucky comes from a well respected family, he falls in love with a girl who prefers the simple things in life. Follow their journey through the years.

Word count: 2,240

Warnings: fluff, angst, heavy use of pet names.

A/N: No description of reader other than she has curly hair.

A/N pt 2: when I saw the duck tattoo I screamed, no joke I screamed! Make sure you have a look it’s so bloody cute!

Masterlist   Series Masterlist

They spent the rest of the night and early hours of the morning apologising, promising to make up for their mistakes. All three guys crying when she told them how much they had broken her heart, the guilt still there front row and centre but she promised them that it was all forgiven.

Steve and Sam had begged for forgiveness for not being there for her but she reassured them that all was forgiven, that it was time to move on.

Even though all three of them had hurt her and they hadn’t done anything to help her when she needed at least one of them the most, she had forgiven them. She missed them more than anything, they were the other part of her fractured soul.

She didn’t want to hold any grudges against them.

For a whole month Y/n caught up with her boys, caused mayhem just as they did a few years ago.

It was as if nothing had changed.

They didn’t understand what was happening when they showed up to Howard’s and Maria’s house to take Y/n out for the day when she opened the door where they could see two suitcases by her side.

“Bun? You’re leaving again?”

“Yeah only for two months, going to travel with Nat and Wanda. Isn’t that so exciting?” She smiles.

“Yeah, yeah how come you didn’t tell us?”

“I was a bit busy catching up with you guys…”

“Is it going to be just you three?”

“No Pietro, Clint and Vis are coming too”

“Who’s Clint and Vis?”

“Clint’s Natasha’s boyfriend and Vis is Wanda’s”

“Will you be coming back?” Steve asked.

“Yeah of course, then I’ll start my new job. I can’t wait”

“What job?”

“You know Mr Stan? Well he’s given me a job as his accountant”

“I’m so proud of you Bun”

“Thanks Duck-“

“Y/n come on love we’ve got to go” Maria interrupts as she checks over the plane ticket and double checking that Y/n had enough money.

“Okay momma, give me a hug then boys”

For the two next two months Bucky was out of his mind. He wouldn’t sit still for long periods at a time. He had gotten a taste of the happiness he had for years, went without for three years and then he got it back just for it to leave with Y/n once again.

“Buck she’ll be home in a few days”

“It’s been too long man”

“Are you going to tell her?” Sam asks.

“Tell her what?”

“That you’re madly, hopelessly in love with her?” 

“No I’m not!”

“Yeah right and I’m Captain America” Steve snorted from the kitchen.

“I’m not in love with Bunny. And plus she’s got a boyfriend and I’m seeing…shit what’s her name?”

Sam burst out laughing, nearly sliding off the chair and Steve shook his head “Lily, Bucky her names Lily”

“Yeah I’m seeing Lily”

“How’s that going Buck?” Sam says as he calms down.

“Great, it’s going great”

“Bullshit she told Sarah that when you two fucked you kept calling her Y/n.”

“No he didn’t!” Steve gasped. Between me and you he already knew.

“Yeah and it’s pretty much the same with every girl he’s slept with, he calls them Y/n’s name” okay Steve hadn’t heard that before.

“Fuck off man, it’s not been with all of them” Bucky weakly tries to defend himself, again just between me and you what he just said was a big fat lie.

“L to the I to the A right down to the R, guess what that spells Buck… liar.”

“Shut up.”

“Oh and plus you have a bunny tattoo on your chest” It was true. On Bucky’s eighteenth birthday he went to the tattoo studio to get his first ever tattoo, he saw it in the book as he flipped through it halting his movements as he saw the cute bunny. It was a lot smaller but he asked the tattooist if he could have it bigger which the guy said yeah, Bucky had him also add the small love heart.

Over the year he got a few more added to his body but his bunny that sat just over his heart was his favourite of them all.

“Don’t mean I’m in love with her”

“Yes. Yes it does.”

“No. No it doesn’t.”

“Steve help me out here man” Sam begs.

“I’m not getting involved. But Bucky your in love with Y/n/n”

Groaning Bucky stands up “fuck you both I’m going out to see Lucy”

“Lily!”

“Yeah her, bye”

“I’m sorry Y/n” Pietro says wiping her tears.

“No it’s okay, I understand honestly”

“I just don’t want to hurt you baby”

“I know Pieface just don’t die please and please be safe”

Laughing sadly at the nickname she had given him he nods with a promise that he’ll be safe.

“I do love you Y/n/n”

“I love you too Pietro”

Giving one final long hug they separate from one another, she watches as he walks through the doors to the airport wiping her fallen tears she smiles and waves at him as he looks back at her, giggles fall from her lips as he pulls a funny face to her.

“Won’t you be able to see him in a few months?” Wanda asks softly.

Shaking her head Y/n shrugs “h-he broke up with me”

“You what?”

“Yeah, he said he doesn’t want to hold me back and wants me to live my life whilst he’s away”

Pietro had told her a few weeks before coming back home that he signed up for the Army and had been accepted. Though he did love her he didn’t want her staying at home worrying about him, he wanted her to experience life and who knows when he got back they could rekindle their relationship, though Pietro knew it was unlikely. He knew that Y/n loved him but he also knew that she was in love with Bucky, and for him there was no way he was going to get in the way of her happiness even if that wasn’t with him and to be truthful he was okay with it.

“Y/n/n I’m sorry”

“Don’t be, it’s fine honestly. Let’s go home I’m missing my bed.”

“I still can’t believe you’re not coming to college with us” Nat says as she pulls on her seatbelt yanking it a little to hard when it gets stuck.

“I know but it’s just not for me you know”

“It’s not going to be the same” Wanda says.

“I guess but you two can’t get another me to add in to your friendship group or I’ll cry”

“Definitely not happening, if another female tries to be our friend we’ll kick them” Nat says seriously.

“Don’t kick them Jesus that’s a bit harsh, just say “no you can’t be our friend because we already have the bestest one” but please don’t kick them”

“I’m kicking them”

Saying her goodbyes as she’s dropped off at home her eyes start to sting with the amount of tears she’s cried. They all promise that they’ll meet up as soon as they can.

As she tells her parents of her adventures and shows them all the photos she had taken, she hands them their gifts.

“You didn’t have to get us anything angel” Howard says loving the pyramid paperweight she had gotten him.

“Alright I’ll take them back”

“Touch it and I’ll bite you”

Gasping she looks at her mom “momma did you just hear what he said?”

“I did sweetie but I have to agree your not taking these back” admiring the snow globe she had gotten, already knowing exactly where it was going, adding it to the collection she had been collecting since she was twenty.

“Where’s Antonio?”

“I’ve told you time and time again not to call me that, hey baby sis” hugging his sister he checks the bag for his gift.

“It’s not in there Tone, it’s outside”

“What have you gotten me?”

“A car”

“Holy shit! Really? I knew there was a reason why I kept you around”

“Yep come on” Her, Tony, Howard and Maria make their way outside.

“Whe-what the hell is this Y/n?”

“A car” she laughs along with her parents as Tony picks up a toy car off the ground. “I brought you a car”

“You’re such a little shit!” He laughs along. “Oh nice new tat”

“Cheers”

“You got another one?” Maria asks wanting to see it.

“Yeah it’s a turtle his names Sid, isn’t he cute?”

“Sid?” Howard questions.

“Yeah, we went to a sea life centre and we got to meet Sid the turtle, so naturally I had to add him to the collection”

“Obviously” Tony rolls his eyes.

“Anyway I’m going to go to the boy’s apartment and give them their gifts see you later”

“Be careful!” Maria calls out.

Panting as she knocks on the door she nearly collapses into Sam’s arms when he opens the door.

“Jesus Y/n, Holy shit guys Y/n’s back!”

“I can taste blood in my mouth is-is that normal?” She asks.

“Are you alright?”

“No Samuel I’m not alright I’ve just walked up a trillion stairs just to get here! Why do you have to live so far up?”

“It’s easier when the elevator works” he grins.

“Hey Y/n/n” Steve says hugging her.

“Hi Stevie”

The three of them hear hurried footsteps coming towards them and when they look they see Bucky rushing down the hallway “shit, Bunny you’re back! I nearly fell in the shower trying to rush to get out” he pants pulling her into a bone crushing hug.

“I-I-I’m sorry but…Ducky…”

“What’s up Bun?” He follows her eye line and he’s realised his mistake. In his rush he managed to pull on some shorts but no shirt.

Meaning that she can see the bunny tattoo.

And unbeknownst to either one, they don’t realise that Sam and Steve have their eyes trained on the tattoo she has on the top of her spine.

“That’s a bunny” she points of the obvious.

“Yeah, yeah it is”

“Why?”

“For you”

“When did you get it done?”

“On my eighteenth birthday”

“And it’s for me?” Watching as he nods “can I?” He nods again to the unspoken part of her question, his skin tingles as she reaches out and runs her fingers over the delicate lines.

“Oh Duck it’s beautiful”

“Your hiding your own little secret aren’t you Y/n” Sam smiles.

“What are they talking about Bun?”

“I-um-I got this done on my eighteenth birthday” she says turning in his hold to show him her tattoo.

“Bun, it’s us. Can I?” It’s her turn to nod at his unspoken words she gasps lightly when his cold fingers trace the lines, he’s so mesmerised by the details and polka dots that he simply couldn’t stop touching it. “Bun it’s so beautiful”

“It was my first tattoo, obviously”

“So was mine”

“I actually feel really left out” Sam admits wrapping his arms around Steve’s “Stevie they don’t love us”

“That’s not true because-“ she rolls her sleeves up to her elbows and shows them the tattoos she had gotten for them ‘♡ S.R ♡ ♡ S.W ♡’ with a love heart on the top of her forearms. Not batting an eye at the scars the two boys lean in as Bucky leans over her shoulder.

“Who’s who?” Sam grins “but Y/n you actually got our initials tattooed on you?”

“Your obviously SR idiot and yeah of course I did, these were my second tattoos”

“B-but we weren’t friends at the time” Steve says as he eyes the long jagged scars.

“Well you three were a massive parts of my life and the reason why I got the duck and bunny on my back was because Bucky was the first person to see the scars once they where heeled and he never once judged me so”

“Y/n…”

“Anyways you want your presents, I’m like Santa but less cool” she moves out of Bucky’s hold and makes her way over to her bag and started to pull out the gifts, laughing as Sam stands there with his eyes closed and hands out stretched. Steve shakes his head at the guy.

Bucky, well his eyes are trained on his Bunny.

He knew he was in love with her since he was fourteen and now he wonders if she feels the same. 

“So how’s you and Peter doing?” Bucky asks as they wait for Steve and Sam to come back with the pizzas.

“Pietro, and he broke up with me”

“What? Why?”

“He joined the Army and he said he didn’t want me to be waiting around on him, that it wasn’t fair for him to do that to me so yeah”

“Bun I’m sorry”

“It’s okay, I actually understand why he did it you know? And there’s no hard feelings about it.”

When the boys got back laughter filled the apartment as the boys filled her in on what they had been up to during them two months she wasn’t with them and her telling them about her adventures.

It was way past midnight when Sam stretched and looked over at Y/n and Bucky curled up on the couch fast asleep.

“Steve, how long you think she’s been in love with him?” He whispered so he wouldn’t wake the pair up.

“I think just as long as he’s been with her”

And Steve was right.

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#marvel #marvel fanfiction #bucky barnes #bucky barns x y/n #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky x you #marvel fic #bucky barnes series #bucky barnes fluff #Through The Years #bucky barnes angst #bucky series #bucky barnes fanfiction #james Barnes #james barnes x you #Bucky Barnes female reader #bucky barnes friends to lovers

[mellowsaturns]

make a wish

STEVE ROGERS X READER

warnings: 18+, minors dni, fluff and angst and smut, birthday sex, p in v sex, fingering, oral (m receiving), unprotected sex

wc: 2.7k

summary: it's steve's birthday so you give him a present or two… maybe three.

masterlist

———

Leaning against the railing of the Towers’ balcony, you were admiring the rare scenery of bright stars that filled the night sky. Even the stars are coming out and shining brighter than usual on this special day.

It was the Fourth of July, and of course, Tony threw one of his obnoxiously big parties to celebrate both America and the birth of The Captain America himself (although, you’re one-hundred percent certain Tony threw it for the latter to spike Steve like he does every year).

The party had gone on for a while and you even got your shared fun, but you can only handle the wildness of a Stark Party for so long—which is why you chose to retreat to the balcony to get some fresh air.

“Hey,” a voice called out, breaking your trance at the night sky.

Turning around, Steve stood at the balcony’s entrance. “Hey,” you replied back with a smile.

Making his way to you, he huffed out a tired breath of air before leaning against the railing, joining you. “Warn me if you see Tony.”

A laugh escaped your lips. “Got it, Captain.”

As he stood next to you, you couldn't help but to admire him. Despite attending to the guests and being dragged around by Tony all night, he still looked painfully handsome. Dressed in blue and black and his blond hair slightly gelled, he looked like a total star. He has that golden movie star glow to him that leaves you speechless every time and with the moonlight shining onto him, even the stars seemed to dim in his presence.

“How come I didn’t see you back there?”

“Hmm. Was mostly at the bar with Nat,” you answered.

“Oh,” he said. Was that slight disappointment in his voice?

“Happy Birthday,” you piped, hoping he wasn’t too angry at you for not greeting him earlier, but in your defense, you would have had to get through a fortress of a wall of both beautiful women and men that surrounded him all night. “Sorry I didn’t say it sooner. But I was the first one to say it in the group chat. Just saying.”

happy birthday to my beloved captain. don’t stay up too late. :)

You don’t know if he saw your message or not—you know he doesn’t check his phone often, much less the group chat Sam added you into when you got transferred to Steve’s team almost two years ago as it’s constantly being spammed with random animal videos. Something inside you wished he didn’t because you wanted to take some part of your message back—like switching my beloved with our beloved.

It’s not like there was anything wrong with the message. Steve was your captain—you worked under him and he trains and looks after you. He was your friend, the two of you were close, he was dear to you. But there was something about unintentionally claiming him as yours that tugged at your heartstrings because it reminds you of how unattainable he was, much like one of the stars in the night sky he resembles, where your words were just some kind of one-sided endearment that looks at you with mockery.

He gave you a small smile, “I saw it. Thank you.”

He wasn’t overthinking it like you were. That’s good, you think, how awkward would it be if he knew.

“You look beautiful tonight,” he said while looking at you, and you could feel yourself heating up.

You had to look down to hide your growing smile. “Not too much?” Because Nat helped you buy this dress as you were busy on some stealth mission this week, but you didn’t expect her to buy this for you—short, tight, slit down one thigh, but you had no other option. Steve was probably one second from a heart attack right now, you never dressed like this in front of him before.

He looked at you and shook his head. “No. You… y–you look great.”  

“I got a gift for you,” you said, trying to switch the topic. Because if he kept looking at you like that for one more second, you were going to literally melt onto your knees.

“You did?”

You nodded, “Dropped it off in my spare room when I arrived.”

And that was why the two of you were making your way to your sleeping quarters. Even though the two of you tried to sneakily exit the party without being noticed, Steve was stopped a few times but he didn't even so much as look their way before excusing himself, dragging you along behind him. He really must’ve been done with this party.

As the lights of your room lit up, you grabbed the gift that was on your desk and handed it over to him. “Here,” you said nervously, “your gift.”

Steve wasn’t a materialistic person, so finding something for him was difficult. He didn’t need much, didn’t want much.

Unwrapping the present delicately, he was speechless as he looked down at the frame.

"You know how I told you I was taking painting lessons?" Because you were so inspired by Steve's artistry. Clearing your throat, you continued, "I painted you. It’s a portrait of you in your SSR uniform. You're always telling me stories about that time and those old photographs are so damaged that it hardly makes out anything more. At least with this… you’ll have it forever.”

Knowing him, he probably wouldn’t have liked anything you bought, so you chose to give him something you made yourself instead, something with meaning that he’d cherish forever because Steve was sentimental like that.

“This is… it’s amazing. It must’ve taken you forever,” he said, eyes returning back to yours.

You shrugged. “I had fun. You’re a great muse,” you said, smirking at him.

He chuckled. “You are too,” he said before looking down at the painting again.

You are—what?

He must’ve realized what came out of his mouth because his eyes suddenly widened.

“I’m a great muse?”

He gulped down a nervous breath of air and as the champagne and wine and liquor all comes together in your system, you mustered the courage to ask him, “Am I… am I in one of your sketchbooks?”

There was one time you and Steve were on a little surveillance mission—to take note of whenever your target entered and exited the sketchy building while the both of you were perched on the small rooftop of an adjacent building nearby. It was so boring. It was so boring that even Steve stopped spying halfway and started drawing.

You placed the binoculars down and groaned, “He’s been in the building for four hours now. I don’t think he’s coming out. Ever.”

The only noise that replied back was the sound of pencil on paper. Turning around, Steve was leaning against the wall of the rooftop door with his sketchpad.

You snorted. “Hard at work I see.”

He hummed as he continued to work so intensely and passionately on whatever he was drawing. “The sunset is beautiful. I don’t blame you for wanting to draw it,” you called out from your spot, lifting the binoculars back to your eyes.

He paused for a second and looked up at you. “Yeah. Beautiful,” he murmured and smiled to himself before placing the graphite back onto paper.

That memory hit you like a truck.

“Steve?”

“You’re in a lot of my sketchbooks.”

You think you know the answer but you wanted to hear it. “Why?”

“Like I said. You’re my muse.”

Your stomach was doing somersaults. Was that why he ignored everyone at the party… but you?

“Steve,” you whispered, stepping closer to him. “Can I try something?”

As you tippy-toed to reach him, you made sure he understood. “Pull away if you feel uncomfortable, okay?” you said, placing your lips onto his.

Soft. His lips were soft. You think you could stay like this forever but you were burning up, so you pulled away. But just like the eagerness you had when you kissed him, he gently placed the painting back onto the desk and reached up and cupped your face with his hands and closed the space between the two of you once again. And as the two of you deepened the kiss, he pulled you closer to him, filling that space too.

You pressed against him, taking small slow steps forward until the both of you collapsed onto the mattress.

It felt like you were on fire.

How many times did you dream of this? It was embarrassing, really. But you wondered, has he ever dreamed of this? Of you? Of you straddling his lap like you currently were?

You pulled away from the intensity of his lips and moved onto placing gentle kisses along his cheek, his jaw, his neck. He tasted just like what you thought he would: clean, a bit woody, and slightly sweet. And as you felt him hardened underneath you, you bit down tenderly on his neck, and in return, he let out the loveliest sound you have ever heard.

You loved this.

Dragging your hands down his chest, you stopped when you reached his belt, but it’s his birthday today, maybe you’ll give him another gift. So you start to unbuckle, Steve helping you.

You palmed his length through his briefs—briefs that were already slightly wet from him. God, you were fucking soaking just by this.

“This okay?” you said, pressing a bit harder.

“Y-yes... Fuck.”

You always knew he had a mouth on him. He uttered your name breathlessly, slowly, desperately, then, “Please.”

“As you wish, Captain,” you answered before falling onto your knees.

He groaned in response and you removed his briefs. Another wave of heat shot to your core the moment you laid eyes on him. He was just like what you’d imagine, just like how you pictured it when you were underneath the covers, hand between your legs.

You wrapped your hand around the base, and you swore he shuttered in response. Leaning in closer, you kissed the tip softly. “Let me take care of you,” you promised, licking base to tip in one single stride before putting him in your mouth teasingly.

He was so big that you didn’t know how you were going to fit all of him, but you will, somehow. You started pumping him and he grabbed onto your hair even tighter. And when he started to leak ever so slightly again, you took him in your mouth and started moving. You were the one sucking him but somehow you think you’re going to be the one to come undone first just by those filthy noises coming out of his mouth and the fluttering of his pretty lashes.

You took him deeper, as deep as you possibly could until tears formed and threatened to spill as his cock constantly hit the back of your throat. You could feel every vein as you swirled your tongue. You could feel the pulsing of his cock as you hollowed your cheeks.

Your name from his mouth comes out as a needy cry as he tried to get out what he could. “M’close… so close… Have such a pretty fuckin’ mouth.”

You had to brace yourself by resting one of your hands on his thigh.

“W-where…”

You pulled away and looked up, tears dripping down your cheeks. “Mouth,” you said quickly, but not as fast as Steve shoving his cock back in. A few thrusts later, he twitched and his load shot down your throat and filled you up. He tasted so, so sweet.

He removed himself from you, panting at the fervency of what just happened. The air that surrounded you suddenly got colder at the missing touch and taste. You wiped the corner of your mouth and swallowed the remaining essence of him.

Shit, you didn’t know if you could even stand up, but you have to. Because you’re suddenly ashamed at what you pulled. If you don’t get the fuck out of here, you could never look him in the eyes ever agai—

All thought got pushed aside the moment he pulled you up and spun you around, trapping you underneath him this time.

Oh.

You blinked, “It’s your birthday.”

He understood what you were implying. “I know, sweetheart. But let me take care of you too. You can give me another present, yeah?”

You nodded and whispered, “Whatever you want.”

The confirmation ignited something in Steve.

He positioned the two of you so you were properly laying on the mattress, head resting on your pillow. He peppered kisses down your neck and chest and the fabric that covered your breasts. Every kiss felt like an explosion of fireworks. He grabbed the ends of your dress and lifted the fabric up just above your stomach.

“Fuck. You’re soaking,” he grunted as he trails his fingers along your inner thighs, removing your undergarment.

I wonder why you wanted to voice out—tease him, but all you could focus on was the way he was looking at you—ravenous.

“Do you touch yourself at night?”

You nodded pathetically as he looked at you with consuming eyes. “Who. Who do you think about when you touch yourself?”

“Y-you. I think of you, Steve.”

Grunting in satisfaction, he used his knees to spread your legs further apart. “How many?”

“What?”

“How many fingers do you use when you think of me?”

Fuck, he’s going to be the death of you. “T-two,” you whimpered, and he hums in response before pushing one, two and then three fucking fingers inside you.

You gasped at the utter fullness and shock. “Good, because I think of you too,” he confessed into your ear before he started moving his fingers in and out.

“Steve. I can’t… I—” you muttered. It was so much, too much.

“You can take it sweet girl. How else are you going to take my cock?”

When he finally entered you, a cry escaped your lips and you had to grip onto his arms as your walls felt every glorious inch of him, filling you up so good.

"When I saw you out there," he groaned, going deeper, "in that fuckin’ dress. Almost had to leave. Didn’t know if I could control myself. But I didn't see you the whole night. Didn’t see you the whole week. I missed you. I—Fuck," he swore as he reached an even deeper spot. “Wanted to see you. Only you.”

Never in your wildest dreams did you think this would happen, that Steve would return that little stupid crush of yours. Moving your hands to grip his back harder, you leaned further into his shoulders as he continued to rock back and forth. "You have me now. You have me," you managed to get out.

“Mm. Do you know how long I thought of this? Of your pretty lips wrapped around me? Of you underneath me? Taking me like the good girl you are?”

All you could do was whimper and mewl as he fucked you, both of you still partly clothed. You loved this too.

“Fuck. I’m—I’m close,” you said, pressing kisses to his jaw.

“So am I. Be a good girl and hold it a bit longer m’okay?”

“Okay,” you panted.

“Are you on—”

You nodded.

“Can I?”

You couldn’t help but let out a small giggle, still a gentleman in this situation. “Yes, Steve. Do whatever you want.”

With that, he finished inside you for the second time tonight. As he collapsed onto you, your rapid heartbeat matched his, both of you taking time to recover.

After a while, you shifted, trying to soothe the numbness of your legs.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked gently.

“No. No… you didn’t hurt me. You could never hurt me.”

“Stay,” he asked softly, pushing back a fallen strand of hair behind your ear.

And maybe, Steve wasn’t as unattainable as you thought.

“Okay,” you said, interlacing your hand with his as he pulled the cover over the two of you.

As sleepiness engulfs you, you peeped at the clock on the wall. Exactly twelve-o’clock. “I hoped all your wishes came true,” you whispered, “my beloved Steve Rogers.”

And when you finally closed your eyes, you saw thousands of stars—stars from the intimacy you just shared, but the biggest one was in front of you, just inches away.

#steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x you #steve rogers fic #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers smut #steve rogers angst

[inneedofsupervision]

The Big Bad Wolf And The Itsy Bitsy Spider

As you can read above, I've got a prompt. I took the liberation to alter it since I'm not comfortable writing "reader insert" fics, so here you go with some Bucky, Steve and Peter being dorks and bonding over snow I guess?

Summary: It takes some level of boldness to attempt a snowball assassination of Captain America and the former Winter Solider, but someone has to be the one to throw the first snowball and step onto the thin line that divides braveness from recklessness.

(Or, how Peter thought it would be fun to annoy two super soldiers)

"On your left!"

"You've got to be kidding me."

Bucky grimaces at Steve's voice penetrating his ear, breaking the peaceful silence. He blinks a straying snowflake out of his eye before glaring at the back of Steve's head. When did the punk catch up to him? He doesn't try to suppress the urge to roll his eyes at his friend speeding up to jog a few meters ahead, shoulders shaking in poorly hidden laughter. Bucky should have shoved Steve out of the cold and locked the door like Sam suggested when the other asked if he wanted to join him on the running track. The snow-covered running track, he might add. Bucky effortlessly catches up to Steve and shoves him, snickering as it causes the other to stumble, clearly unprepared for getting hit in the side by solid vibranium. Steve huffs, quickly collecting himself before starting to level up from his jog to straight-up running, passing Bucky but not without pushing him in retaliation.

Yes, they are very mature for their age.

"I liked you better before the serum. You've become a show-off, Steve!" shouts Bucky after him before he starts falling into a faster pace. 

"Someone's gotta keep you in check, Buck," answers Steve, and Bucky frowns at the smug grin the blond's carrying. It is just like back then, Steve acting like a little prick. Not that he wasn't happy he could actually go for a run with his friend without the anxiety of an upcoming asthma attack sitting in the back of his mind. Steve just got a little too overconfident for Bucky's taste. 

"Like the little punk he is," mumbles the man as he watches Steve running, probably sporting a grin like usual when he gets to pass Bucky. He played with the thought of running up and shoving the man into the piles of snow lying next to the running track. He decides against it. Being friends with the man for years, Bucky figures it would end up in petty revenge plotting, and he didn't want to spend much more time in the snow than he needed to.

"You're not sleeping, are you, Bucky?" teases Steve, still running in front of him. They are reaching the end of the track when Bucky feels the overwhelming need to throw a snowball at his friend's head. Bucky bends down mid-run and collects a handful of white fluff from the ground, skillfully forming a dense ball. He was acting childish, but damn it, his toes felt like they froze off. Steve deserves at least that for dragging him outside at six in the morning at 24,8 Fahrenheit. Just because he was frozen once doesn't mean he enjoys staying out in the middle of winter in the daytime when the sun decides to grace the horizon. The man straightens up, hand drawn back and ready to smack his little work of art against Steve's back of the head when someone beats him to it. 

The ex-assassin's eyebrows shot upwards as he only caught the movement from the corner of his eyes. Before he could call for Steve to watch out, the snow projectile already hit its goal, the force great enough to let the ball crumple into pieces. Bucky grimaces in sympathy as a fair share of snow runs down the blond's neck and into his sweater, probably completing its mission to soak the backside of his shirt with icy water and causing it to stick against his skin in the most annoying way possible. 

A thick silence settles onto the running track as Steve's hand slowly reaches upward to get the snow out of his hair and off his skin. Blue eyes cold as ice pin Bucky in place. Bucky finds himself backing away slightly.

"So that's how you like to play, sore loser," says Steve, but the glint in his eyes betrays the soft tone of his voice. Bucky let out a short cough. Not because he was trying to buy some time and avoid answering Steve. 

It's not like he was intimidated by that punk or anything. 

Bucky inconspicuously glances towards the compound, measuring the distance between himself and the entrance. He drags his eyes back to the blond.

"Steve, I swear that wasn't me."

Steve gives him a pointed look.

"And what's that?" the other asks, nodding towards him. Bucky looks down and draws his eyebrows together as he catches sight of his hand still holding onto the snowball. 

Well, that certainly looks misleading.

"I know how this could come off as, but-"

"Good, we are on the same page then, Buck." interrupts Steve.

Bucky swallows as the blond starts pulling his sleeves up and going as far as to crack his knuckles. Oh, that dreaded smile. That smile tells you Steve Rogers wouldn't let go of this. Why did he have to befriend this punk again? If anyone asks, Bucky denies having taken a step back. He tries again to reason with his friend, squinting his eyes as Steve bends down to grab a fistful of snow.

"Steve, I didn't throw that thing."

"And I'm not about to push you face-first into the snow."

Bucky let out a frustrated groan. Steve was already closing the gap between them, and he wasn't close to taking a listen to his reasoning. It leaves Bucky questioning, where did that snowball even come from?  

Bucky was too old to wrestle in the snow. Literally. Why did this kind of thing have to happen to him? The man holds his hands up in defense, ready to go and push the other off if he needs to, when another snowball flies at the pair of super-soldiers.

This time, it hits Bucky.

Right in the face.

The explosion of ice transforms into cold wetness trickling down his jaw, chin, and neck before sickering into the fabric of his training shirt as the snow melts instantly on his slightly above-human-average heated skin. 

Without a word, he slowly reaches upwards and wipes the snow that has begun to melt out of his eyes. His face turns into a deep scowl as Steve's hearty laughter carries over to him.

"Stop laughing. I swear, I shove this in your face, Steve!"

Bucky narrows his eyes at the blond, still holding onto the snowball and contemplating throwing it in the blond's face but deciding against it. Before that, he has to figure out who would dare to throw a snowball at him. Bucky had to give the silent shooter credit. It took him a few moments to spot him. If it weren't for the slight color difference of the light gray accent on the guy's shoes, he wouldn't have spotted him in his thoroughly white outfit, blending in quite well into a blanket of snow. Successfully creeping up and keeping out of sight from not one but two trained super-soldiers was not an easy feat. Steve is busy chuckling when Bucky slowly puts a finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet. Steve raises an eyebrow, and Bucky slowly turns his head, jerking it towards their silent visitor. His friend catches on quickly, and Bucky can tell by the minimal widening of Steve's eyes that the latter has spotted the hidden shooter. The two soldiers held a wordless exchange of glances and came to a silent agreement before Steve let the snow fall from his hands.

"Let's go back inside. It's too cold if we're only standing around."

"Sure. Wouldn't want you to turn into Stevie the Snowman."

Steve rolls his eyes before walking up to Bucky, sending him a silent nod. 

They start walking, pretending to end their little workout, and leave the running track. Steve's eyes hang on the lump of "snow" lying next to the track as they approach from the side. When the two reached the same high as the uninvited visitor, Bucky's left foot took a side step, shifting as he twisted his hip, repositioning his body weight. In a split second, his metal arm shoots forward, throwing the snowball with all his might at the person lying in the snow. The two men watch with more fascination than surprise how the well-camouflaged figure rolls to the side with a shriek, snow-projectile hitting and leaving a rather impressive hole in the snow pile where the person's head had been a moment before. The previously silent attacker is quick on his feet. His move to the side brought a small distance between him and the soldiers before coming to a halt in an uncannily familiar crouching pose. The person who had successfully kept their identity hidden until now slowly raises their head. Steve's lips twitch upwards on instinct while Bucky narrows his eyes at the sight of brown curls hanging over equally brown eyes that sparkle in a mix of unmistakable mischief and amusement. 

"Hey, Steve. Hi Bucky."

Peter has the nerve to give a small cheeky wave in their direction, still crouching and looking not an ounce apologetic. The two adults watch, with slight confusion, how the teen's positive expression changes into a frown, leaving the two adults confused about what could have caused the sudden change in Peter's mood. Bucky watches him slowly straighten from his position on the ground. He wants to roll his eyes as he feels Steve twitching next to him, the worry-wart. He can sense Steve's need to ask the kid what was wrong. Peter surprises them by drawing closer to them, towards Bucky, to be more specific, a frown still present on his young face. Before Bucky can react, Peter stands on his tip-toes and reaches his hand out to carefully peel a crumble of snow out of a stray set of Bucky's dark hair. Brown eyes narrow at the sight of the snow in his hands before they settle on Bucky. The teen tilts his head to the side, almost as if he were confused if it weren't for the minuscule twitch of his lips, giving his poorly hidden amusement away.

"Sorry, you've got some snow there. Steve got you good, huh?"

Bucky's fists clenched at the sound of suppressed laughter from the blond to his right. He elbows Steve in the side before he glances back, only to meet the face of a mischievously grinning Peter Parker. He swears that kid is full of shit. But Bucky will be the last to laugh today after he shoves that kid in the nearest snow pile. He feels a grin tugging on his lips at the panic taking over the teen's features as he strides forward, right into Peter's personal space, ready to grab him.

 

His plan doesn't work as the teen, in one swift movement, manages to dive under the incoming metal arm that took a swing at him. With ease, the vigilante emerges behind the older man, a winning grin painting his features. But the euphoria of escaping a pissed-off Bucky Barnes lasts only a moment. Bucky grins as the teen lets out a shout of surprise at the pair of very fleshy and muscled arms, almost tackling him to the ground. 

The ex-assassin turns around, a taunt for the Spider sitting on his lips, but the words couldn't leave his mouth quick enough before the kid began moving again. Steve didn't know what was coming for him, as from one moment to the next, the Spider-Teen vanished from his vision by jumping up. Peter skillfully escapes the bear hug about to send him to the ground by leaping and pulling his feet up to his chest mid-jump, feet hovering over Steve's head for a moment. Steve grunted in surprise as a foot set down on his shoulder, and he could only glance up, catching a smug grin that the teen had to have learned from none other than Stark himself. Bucky could only watch how his best friend gets abused as the kid's personified springboard, Peter setting a foot down on Steve's shoulder and pushing himself forward to perform a neat somersault over the blond's head. The sheer force of the jump is enough to send Steve tumbling. While Steve takes a dive face-first into the snow, the teen lands with practiced ease on the balls of his feet, a self-satisfied grin on his face.

That little shit. 

Peter's smug expression switches into shock-widened eyes and a surprised squeak getting pushed out of the teen as a metal arm slings around the back of his knees before a shoulder crashes into him. Gloved hands flail around before finding hold of the thick textile of Bucky's jacket as Peter tries to push himself off where he got thrown over the man's shoulder. A laugh escapes the teen, the latter involuntarily rendered in watching the world from upside down. Bucky unconsciously grins at the sound before he lets go of Peter's legs. He grabs the teen's jacket with both hands, ready to haul him into the snow. His hands are firmly on the teen's waist, pulling with strength, but, for some unexplainable reason, Bucky couldn't lift the boy. The body on his shoulder wouldn't move an inch, only shifting slightly along with the movement of his jacket. A short moment passes before Bucky tilts his head to get a look at Peter's face, eyes squinting with accusation. 

"Are you sticking to me?"

The disgust in Bucky's voice sends Peter into a laughing fit, not having expected the sheer horror in the man's voice. He couldn't even form a coherent sentence from how much he was cackling while hanging over Bucky's shoulder, the latter still glaring at him. It wasn't easy to get a genuine reaction out of Bucky, the ex-assassin carrying a neutral expression most of the time if he wasn't scowling at someone or showing a smirk. The surprised tone of the super-soldier's voice, mixed with a spark of horror and disgust, had caught Peter off guard.

Bucky and Sam always reacted rather strongly at the display of Peter's most spider-like trait. Solely for that reason, he used his ability more than once just out of spite to annoy them. Their reactions are hilarious, and although they tell him to keep the "freakiness down a notch" while putting a hand over their chest in Sam's case and accusing him of trying to give them a heart attack, Peter finds himself not minding the teasing. As the youngest of the group, he often has to live with the jokes thrown his way. If sticking to the ceiling at three a.m. is a way to hand back some of their medicine, Peter gladly let go of the chance to get some sleep. The teen made it his challenge to get the two men used to his abilities, and if that meant he had to freak them out until they grew used to him sticking to stuff, then that's what he calls a win-win on his side. 

"You, Peter Parker, aren't as innocent as you pretend to be." 

That's what Mr. Stark had told him with an amused tug of his lips as he had to call someone to repair the hole in the living room, a keepsake from Peter's last little prank on Bucky. 

Peter is still hanging over Bucky's shoulder, clinging to him with his hands efficiently sticking against the man's clothes. The latter can feel the teen shaking from laughter and shakes his head at the teen's antics with a little grin. "I'll get you off. Just wait, Parker," threatens the man playfully as he gives the body on his shoulder another experimental tuck. As expected, Peter wouldn't budge an inch, shaking his head at Bucky's words. Bucky rolls his eyes, having caught a glance at the large grin plastered over the teen's face. The kid was enjoying this way too much.

"Steve, get your frosty butt up. I need a little help here."

As soon as the words leave his lips, Bucky can feel the body on his shoulder stiffen. The man quickly fastens his grip on the teen. And he did so not too late because just a moment later, the struggle began. Bucky laughs. "What? Now, you don't want to stick close?"

He smirks as he hears Peter groan at his bad joke, the movement halting for a moment before it picks up again. Peter is pushing his hands against Bucky's back, trying to lift himself off. His movement grew more erratic, and Bucky raised an eyebrow. One glance at Steve gives Bucky an idea of why Peter's effort to escape is increasing tenfold. Steve frowns at the pair as he runs a hand through his short golden hair, wiping ice water and snow off. The blond had managed to climb out of the snow but gave off a comedic picture. Captain America covered from top to bottom in white, an unamused expression on his face. 

"Do you want to go first, or should I?" asks Bucky Steve, his grin widening as he feels the kid's fingers curl into his jacket, holding on for dear life and probably fearing Steve's revenge. Knowing Steve, the latter would, despite getting kicked into the snow and laughed at, go soft on the teen but said teenager didn't know about that. Steve playfully scowls at Peter, hands on his hips and giving him the disappointed-Captain-America-PSA-look that the kid had probably seen too often during school. 

"Hand the Spider over, Buck."

To the untrained eye, Steve looks convincingly pissed off, but Bucky could see past the stern facade. Steve is successfully messing with the kid. Said kid is easily fooled and starts pleading, nervousness dripping from every word, and Bucky notes with amusement that the hold on his jacket grows even tighter. The teen wasn't even realizing that clinging to Bucky wouldn't help him in any way. 

"Steve? Come on, that was not that bad, right? You were frozen before. Stuck in a bit of snow is nothing new to you."

Steve wears an incredulous look on his face as he raises an eyebrow at Peter's words. He glances at Bucky, silently asking the man if he misheard or if Peter just added fuel to the fire. Bucky shrugs his shoulders. Peter seemed to realize that his nervous stumbling over words wasn't helping him out of this mess. Bucky has to put some strength into his hold on the teen, throwing Steve an amused grin at the teen wriggling like a worm. 

"Whatever you're thinking of, please don't do it. Steve, I'm serious. Steve, no. Stop right there! Don't come closer!"

Despite his words and the evident panic in his voice, some nervous giggles are slipping between the teen's words. Bucky shakes his head at Steve, the latter wearing a stupidly wide grin as he draws closer, clearly amused by Peter's panicked rambling. 

"Stay away, Steve!" shouts Peter as the blond reaches out for the squirming teen, ready to fling him into the snow. It's a good thing they are at the compound, far from the eye of the public, because the scene unfolding on the Avenger's training grounds would have drawn various headlines in the news. It was quite a sight, the former Winter Soldier holding an unknown teenage boy captive while Captain America tries prying said teen off of his shoulder. 

"You're one sticky punk, aren't you?"

"Language, Bucky."

There is no real bite in Steve's voice, the blond too busy trying to avoid getting hit by a lanky arm that flails around while Peter tries to hold onto Bucky and simultaneously tries to push Steve away. Peter keeps shouting at Steve to leave him alone, threatening to stick to him if he gets too close, all the while laughing. His threats only last for so long before Peter lets out a yelp in surprise. His fingers let go of Bucky's jacket that was now lying on his lap, and he stared at it for a few moments, a puzzled look on his face. Peter slowly lifts his head, sitting on the snow-covered ground, dazed. His eyes fall onto Steve's and Bucky's faces. He swallows as the men smirk while looking down at him. In a blur of motion, Peter throws the jacket at its owner, successfully covering his head with it and earning a colorful curse. He uses the few seconds where Bucky is occupied with taking the jacket out of his face and tries dashing between the two men, choosing the fastest way back to the compound. 

The empathize is on trying. 

Steve stepped forward, grabbing the teen by the waist before Peter could run off. Peter let out a grunt as he was successfully tackled to the ground by a body twice his weight.

"Let's see how much you like playing in the snow."

Steve grins down at the teen pinned under him who, despite his earlier panic, throws back a challenging look at the super soldier. Steve raises an eyebrow, surprised at the smugness on the teen's face. It was typical for Spiderman to act confident, but he hasn't seen that look much in Peter Parker. It suits the kid. 

Steve's eyes widen in surprise as a small hand clamps around his wrists. With one powerful tug, their positions reverse, and the blond finds himself pressed into the ground, one arm pinned above his head. Peter leans over him with a wide grin on his face. Steve notices the teen's free hand has grabbed a good amount of snow, and it doesn't take a genius to guess what the kid was planning to do. The teen opens his mouth, probably to throw some witty remark at him, only to wipe his head to the side so fast it nearly causes Steve to flinch. He catches the widening of Peter's eyes.

"Don't!"

The command hits deaf ears, and before Steve knows what happens, he's not looking at a grinning Peter but at the cloudless sky above. He turns his head towards the noise on his right, and a grin spreads onto his face. Steve watches a ball of limps rolling a few meters with a chuckle. Bucky had successfully tackled Peter off of him, and he and the kid were now fighting for the upper hand. Steve grins at his best friend grumbling about hyperactive teens and Peter trying to shove the man off him, laughing at his complaints. He laughs as Peter lets out a shriek of protest when the older man starts to put snow into the opening of his jacket. 

"Stohohop, it's cold!"

"That's the point, punk."

Peter trashes under Bucky, who had made it to his challenge to shove as much snow as possible under the teen's clothes. Peter tries prying the icy fingers of his skin, laughing but shuddering at the coldness running through his body. Steve walks over, amused by his friend playing around like a kindergartener, watching the spectacle for a few minutes. In the beginning, Peter had been fiercely fighting back, but after some time, Steve noticed the teen growing tired. If it were anyone else, Steve wouldn't have wondered about giving up against the strength of a playful super-solider, but this was Peter. Spiderman doesn't grow tired this easily.

"Peter, are you alright?"

Steve's words cause Bucky to stop wrestling with the kid. He also had noticed the teen's movements become sluggish, but Peter hadn't earnestly told him to stop, and the older man hadn't put much thought into it. Now that he hovers over the teen, not holding him down anymore, he notices the complexion of the kid's face as unusually pale. Brown eyes glance up at them, a sheepish grin on the teen's face, and if Steve didn't know better, he would say the teen looks almost embarrassed.

"Too cold. Can't thermoregulate."

At Peter's words, Bucky turns his head at Steve, raising an eyebrow in silent question, hoping his friend knew what the teen was talking about. Steve wears a frown on his face, telling Bucky without words that his friend feels as much out of depth as he does with the short explanation. Peter must have caught their troubled expression as he tiredly tugged on Bucky's sleeve, gaining his attention.

"It's because of the spider DNA. I cannot regulate my temperature. My body struggles to create body heat like yours does. If it gets too cold-"

"Your body grows weak because it needs a certain temperature to function," finishes Steve Peter's sentence while looking down at the teen, the latter looking out of it but still nods at him with a small smile. Steve shakes his head at the teen, and Bucky doesn't feel like smiling at all, scowl deepening at the sight of a bluish hue on the boy's lips.

"Damn it, Peter, why didn't you say anything sooner?"

Before the teen could justify his lack of explanation, he finds himself bundled up in a jacket three sizes too big, the initials S.R. adorning the front. Not taking any risks of the teen being out in the cold for much longer, Bucky, despite the weak protests from Peter, throws the boy over his shoulder.

"Don't think we are letting you off the hook that easily," mutters the man under his breath as he carries the teen towards the compound. The automatic doors of the entrance already stand open when Bucky walks in. He kicks his running shoes off mid-step and hurries into the joint room. Despite his grumbling, the older man carefully puts Peter down on the couch. He straightens up, looking down on the freezing teen with a frown. Peter is cold, but the lack of shivering was a bit off-putting, giving little clue about what stage of hypothermia they are dealing with. 

The absence of shivering must have to do something with being unable to thermoregulate. Bucky had to ask Banner about that, not trusting the kid to give him all the information. 

"Friday, can you tell us Peter's body temperature?"

"Mr. Parker's body temperature currently lays around 94,64 °F. I recommend taking measurements to get the temperature up. It is beyond his average. A long-term drop in body temperature could cause health concerns, Mr. Rogers." 

"Thank you, Friday."

Steve turns towards Bucky, who controls the urge to roll his eyes at the kicked-puppy stare his friend is wearing. "He'll be fine, Steve. Go search for a blanket and make some tea or something. I'll take care of him."

Steve sends him a small smile. "Thanks, Buck."

Bucky shakes his head when his friend walks out of the room, not liking the guilty-ridden expression painted on the blond's face. Knowing Steve blames himself for not noticing something was up sooner was typical of the man. It made Bucky want to beat some sense into his best friend. He faces Peter again, the latter, at least looking relatively more aware of his surroundings thanks to Friday having raised the room temperature. He watches the teen fumble with the zipper of his jacket, a frown drawn on his youthful face as his fingers wouldn't work how he wanted them to. Peter stares at the metal hand popping up in his vision and pulls down the zipper he struggled skillfully. His jacket gets peeled off of him the next moment before a gruff voice causes him to lift his head. 

"Arms up, punk."

"Hmm?"

Brown eyes throw him a confused look, and although Bucky would have teased the teen for being not quick to take on, he swallows the comment. He had time to make fun of the kid after he got rid of the blue on his lips. 

"You need to put on dry clothes. If you get sick, Stark will throw a fit."

That coaxes a reaction out of the teen. 

"Not keen on Mr. Stark threatening to take your arm off?" asks Peter with a little smirk. 

Oh. Bucky grins. Seems like the teen isn't that out of it after all. He flicks Peter's forehead, earning a glare.

"I'll hear that every day. His threats don't work on me. Now, arms up."

Thankfully, Peter wore snow pants, which are relatively easy to pull off the teen. The thick sweatpants he wore under his outdoor clothes were dry, but Bucky couldn't say the same about the kid's socks and shirt. The gray shirt is soaked, sticking to Peter's skin all around. Thankfully, Steve wasn't here to see this, or Bucky would get an earful again. The soldier watches as Peter tugs at the front of his shirt, grimacing at the feeling of the wet fabric pulling off his skin, only to stick back when he lets it drop. 

Maybe he went a little overboard with the snow. With a sigh, he bends over and gets a hold of the end of the wet shirt. Peter made a noise of protest as Bucky pulled the undesirable article of clothing over his head, leaving him in nothing but his pants, but at least he was left with only dry clothes on his body. Bucky scans the room in search of the blankets he had seen other members of the compound use before the voice in the ceiling spoke to him again. 

"If I am allowed to interfere, Mr. Stark has arranged a range of special clothing for Mr. Parker in cases of a temperature drop."

"So Stark is aware of this problem of yours," says Bucky, glancing at the teen. Peter caught him looking and nodded.

"It wasn't fun when he found out. Mr. Stark caught on mid-February with winter almost over." The kid's expression is solemn as he talks. Bucky almost reaches out to ruffle his hair, amused by the seriousness with which Peter was telling him this as if it had been one of the worst days of his life and not his mentor being rightfully concerned. Instead, he gave a little shake of his head, a corner of his lips tugged upwards while walking over to a closet. He hears some shuffling behind him as he pulls out a set of blankets, almost throwing them at the kid in frustration as he sees the teen has stood up.

"What do you think you are doing?"

Peter sighs as he gets pushed back to sit on the couch with Bucky standing before him, sternly looking down on him. A person shouldn't be able to look as intimidating with an armful of baby blue blankets. 

"I was about to get the shirt Friday told you about."

"You will sit here and wait while I get that shirt. It's in your closet?"

Peter nods while pulling the blanket around his shoulders but not without rolling his eyes, letting out a small yelp as Bucky flicks a finger against his forehead. The teen glares up at him, but Bucky merely raises an eyebrow at him, a silent dare. Bucky gives him one last glance, checking that the teen is bundled up tightly and behaving, not wandering around on his own before he retreats. With Stark's AI speaking to him and giving directions, it is relatively easy to find the clothes despite the chaos in Peter's room.

"This looks pretty tight."

The man eyes the almost plain-looking textile in his hand. Bucky wasn't sure what he had expected, but knowing Stark, he thought whatever this was, it to be more eccentric as he took in the dark gray clothing. Maybe the billionaire held back on his desire for extravagance to accommodate the young vigilante's preference for simplicity. He had noticed that aside from throwing in some colors and graphic shirts, the teen likes to dress easy on the eye.

"It is, but it does a good job. Mr. Stark made several of these. They are great. Maybe you could ask him to make some for you and Steve too?"

Bucky refrains from telling the kid that he and Stark weren't on the level for him to ask the kid's mentor any favors, although the hopeful sparkle in the kid's eyes tells him that Peter thought about that matter differently. Shrugging his shoulders, he skilfully avoids giving him an answer. The man stretches the sleeves to form an opening and holds it out for Peter. 

Peter tilts his head to the side, his eyes wandering up to meet Buckys, giving him a look before settling back onto the clothing held out for him, confusion evident on his face. Feeling merciful, Bucky takes Peter's wrist. "You do have to put this on to work, you know?" teases the man while pulling the teen's hand through the sleeve, noticing with a smirk how a hue of pink spread over the teen's ears. Maybe he should start acting more like this if it's this easy to make the kid sputter around in embarrassment. Oh, he has to tell Sam about this. The kid tugs at his wrist, checks growing red as Bucky tries to pull his other hand through the second sleeve. When he was about to pull the shirt over Peter's head, the teen had enough. He pushes the hands away, sending a frown at the man.

"I can do this on my own!" 

Catching the smirk on Bucky's face, it dawns on the teen that the ex-assassin was doing this on purpose. Peter quickly realizes that protesting wouldn't work on the man. Bucky had the mission to embarrass him, but Peter wouldn't let that happen. He was Spiderman, for crying out loud. Peter was perfectly capable of dressing alone. Getting cold slowed the process down, he had to admit. But still, Peter's sixteen years old. 

He knows how to wear a shirt. Not planning to play along with Bucky, the now slightly frustrated teen leaned back into the couch and slid down to avoid the hands pulling further on the long sleeve. He uses the new-won distance to roll to the right, trying to make a run for it.

"Get back here, punk," scolds Bucky, but the playful twinkle in his eyes betrays the stern tone of his voice. 

"I won't let you mess with me."

It would have sounded more convincing if Peter wasn't kneeling at the end of the couch, both arms stuck into the shirt but glaring instead of pulling it over his head, wearily observing what the man a few feet away from him was planning to do. Bucky crosses his arms over his chest, amused.

"Doesn't look like you do a good job."

Peter squints at the words.

"If I pull this over my head, are you leaving me alone?"

Humoring the kid, Bucky acts thoughtful before grinning a shit-eating grin that Peter has seen too often. 

"Why should I do that? I've got to make sure you are wearing it correctly. I cannot trust you to keep yourself warm."

The teen deflates at the words, almost sounding petulant now.

"I would have told you and Steve! Sooner or later..."

When the man raises a single eyebrow, the teen huffs in frustration. But he is not making a move that shows he agrees to let Bucky help him. The tension hangs thickly over the room as the two hold a stare-off. Both are waiting for the other to make the first move, Bucky watching the teen with rapt eyes while Peter's muscles are bulging under his sweatpants, ready to jump over the couch at any second. Bucky was the first to move. Without looking, his arm shots to the side, grabbing a hold of a stray pillow and throwing it at the teen while rushing forward. Thanks to the room's raised temperature, Peter wasn't as sluggish as before but still nowhere near his usual speed. His spidey sense prevents him from being hit in the head, raising his arms along with the thermo-shirt around his wrists to block the flying pillow. Peter's brows draw together in confusion as his spider sense still acts up, even after keeping the pillow from colliding with his face. 

"Holy-"

The rest of his sentence gets lost in a high-pitched squeak as a metal arm wraps around his middle, tackling him successfully into the couch. Dark strands fall onto Bucky's face, the man grinning down at the teen who glares up from his position under him. It's a little insulting how easily he got him pinned on his back, straddling him by sitting on his tights and throwing him a winning grin that irks Peter just by looking at it.

"Get off," whines the teen and is about to push at Bucky's chest to shove him off, but the older of the two catches the shirt hanging between Peter's wrists and presses it down, forcing Peter's hands away. 

"You're not in the position to make claims, kid."

While forcing the teen into the shirt, Bucky grins, an occasional chuckle leaving his lips at the glares sent his way. By the end of the ordeal, Peter let his head fall back onto the couch in defeat, looking absolutely done with everything. His hair is a tousled mess of brown curls hanging in his eyes, the tips of his ears red again from embarrassment. The teen rolls his eyes at Bucky when the latter asks if he is still feeling cold with a mild dose of sarcasm. The man catches Peter's expression, poking him in the now finally covered stomach. "Don't get sassy, punk," he threatens with a grin promising no good. He is about to poke Peter a second time, for good measure, when his hand gets caught in a firm hold. Peter lifts his head, sending him a glare.

"Don't."

Bucky raises an eyebrow.

"What? You're ticklish?

When the teen doesn't answer immediately, Bucky pokes him again, this time in the side, eyes trained on Peter's face. Peter's jaw is clenching under the pressure of trying to keep his facial expressions under control, but the unmistakable nervousness creeping on his face is almost too easy to detect. Without batting an eye, Bucky frees his hand out of Peter's hold, ignoring the confusion written all over the teen's face as he places his hand over the teen's middle. He just let it hover there, a few inches over the teen's tummy and not moving, never taking his eyes off the teen's face. Peter glances from the hand up to Bucky's face and back to the hand, eyes widening as he sees a single finger twitch. He observes with the morbid curiosity of someone watching a horror movie how the rest of Bucky's hand stays motionless while one finger moves as if independent of the rest of the body. Peter wasn't sure if it was because of the prosthetic, but somehow Bucky managed to wiggle just one finger, then two, and then three, while the rest stayed static. Under other circumstances, he would be fascinated by this observation. In this instance, it merely serves to freak the hell out of Peter. All of the vibranium fingers are moving now in a manner that only indicates one specific outcome of what happens next, and he is not ready for it. 

When the hand starts to descend, he breaks. Before the wiggling finger could close the gap, Peter loses his will to pretend to be tough in front of Bucky. 

"Okay, okay, I admit it. I'm ticklish, alright? You can stop now. You don't have to prove anything!"

Bucky merely raises his eyebrows in amusement at the panicked words stumbling out of the teen's mouth, accompanied by a pair of hands gripping his wrist, hindering his hand from moving further down. 

"After your stunt from earlier, I'm not sure to believe you. Better check this out myself, just to be sure."

"You don't have to do tha-AHAHA! NOAHAHAH BUHUHUCKY!"

"I'm not convinced, Peter. Does this count as ticklish?"

A grin grows on Bucky's face as he watches the teen under him squirming like a worm on a hook. He had not even touched the teen before nervous giggles slipped out Peter. As soon as his fingers actually dug into the flesh of the kid's stomach, Peter's resolve had broken. He didn't try to hold his reaction back, fueling Bucky's curiosity to see what other noises he could coax out of the teen. His stomach has to be a rather good spot by the way Peter threw his head back as Bucky focused his wriggling fingers to dig into the sides of his tummy. Slender hands tried to catch his, but it was too easy to bat them out of the way to get back on skittering his fingertips over the smooth material of Peter's shirt. The shirt clung tightly against his lean body, making it very easy for the metal digits to glide over the middle of Peter's tummy, earning him little jumps whenever he traveled towards his belly button or his lowest rib. 

"Is that a bad spot?" The answer was obvious, but it was too fun to pass the opportunity to watch Peter struggling to answer. Bucky grins as he watches the teen trying to form a coherent sentence between his laughing fit.

"Yes, yes, yes, yehehehes! It's sohoho bahad, it's bahahahad Buhucky!"

"It's that bad?" asks Bucky, acting surprised as he sends ten fingers onto the small patch between the teen's waistline and belly button, feeling the muscle contracting under his fingertips as the teen tries to curl into himself with a shriek but is unable to. His hands get shoved off by flailing arms.

"It's that bad," confirms Peter with a glare, taking the chance to catch his breath while the super soldier had mercy on him.

"That's too bad. I like that spot," muses Bucky as he looks down on the said spot, catching the nervous look Peter throws him out of the corner of his eyes.

"Don't you dare," warns Peter, failing to sound intimidating while grabbing onto Bucky's wrists. 

"Oh, scary," mocks the man before letting himself fall forward. Peter lets out a panicked squeal and throws his hands up to catch the heavy body that's about to collapse on him. Bucky lessens his fall just in time with one arm probed against the back of the couch while using the chance to get a hold of the teen's arms with his free hand, wrestling them over Peter's head and pinning them there. Brown, wide-blown eyes stare up at him before Peter shakes himself out of puzzlement. 

"You tricked me!" 

"I thought you're smarter than that."

"And I thought you don't use dirty tricks."

"Seems like you've got some things to learn, punk. Now, where were we?" Bucky asks with a grin, challenging a Cheshire cat as he wriggles his fingers in Peter's face before focusing on the teen's stomach. 

"No, nohohoo, Bucky pleahesehe, anywhere but there!" begins the teen to plead, tugging at his captured wrists, lifting his head, and trying to see what the man was doing. Bucky grins.

"You want me to try a different spot? Sure."

"NO! Thatahat's not what I mea-AHAHAHAH STOHOP! YOu know thahahat's nhohot whahat I meant! You ahahre suhhuch ahahahan. Suhuch ahahan-NO! DOHOHON'T!"

Peter's legs hammer down on the couch behind Bucky's back. The ex-assassin worries for a short moment if the furniture would withstand the constant abuse of a spider-kid kicking his legs around uselessly. His focus is back on Peter when he hears a high-pitched squeal escape the teen before a wave of hysterical cackling fills the room. Bucky raises an eyebrow at the reaction, concluding that he found the second worst spot on the teen. His right hand hovers between Peter's armpit and highest rips, fingers digging into the place with vigor. 

"I'm almost convinced you told me the truth about being ticklish."

"Almohohohst? Whahahat do yohohu mean almost?"

Bucky stops tickling, eyes trained on the red-faced teen who tries catching his breath, body shaking when occasional after-giggle slips past his lips. 

"Just saying, when I do this," he pinches Peter's hipbones, earning a full-body jump and a cackle, "or this," Bucky claws his free hand between Peter's ribs and let his fingers skim over the space between the bones to send the teen back into a high-pitched giggle fit, "I would say you are ticklish."

"Are you kidding me?" asks Peter. He wears a bewildered expression. "I've told you from the beginning, I'm ticklish!"

"You could have been lying," retorts Bucky. 

"Are you seriously not believing me anymore because of earlier?" asks Peter. The man had another teasing remark already sitting on the tip of his tongue but halted as he caught something akin to hurt playing on the teen's face. Bucky feels thrown off. He knew he should do something, but looking at Peter's face and seeing the wounded expression, he caught himself out of depth for a second time that day. That's why he needs Steve. Steve is better at this kind of stuff. 

Peter is still looking at him, but as the man above him doesn't answer, the younger man's expression turns hard. Bucky's eyes widen as he gets shoved off, unable to withstand the power behind the thin arms that were now easily pulled out of his grasp. It seems that the spider-kid had his full powers back in play. Watching the kid silently collect his belongings, Bucky blinks slowly before getting a hold of himself. As Peter was about to walk out, he called after him.

"Peter, please wait!"

Whatever the teen heard in his voice, it had to be convincing enough for him to stop in his tracks and turn around to send him a questioning look, daring him to give a good explanation. 

"Can we sit down and talk about this?"

Bucky nods at the couch. There is a spark of hesitancy flickering on Peter's features, and the teen is about to open his mouth to answer when Steve walks into the room. Steve glances at his friend standing behind the couch. Something must have happened for Bucky, who looked troubled with his eyebrows pinched into a frown, and Peter, the latter holding his wet-dripping clothes in his arms, wearing an expression far from the cheerful smile Steve is used to seeing on his face. 

"I made you some tea, Peter. Would you like to sit down with us?"

Steve watches Peter throw a glance at Bucky, the latter having not moved from his position behind the couch before letting out a small sigh that Steve wasn't sure he was supposed to hear.

"Okay," mumbled Peter, sounding defeated, but walks back to the couch, leaving his wet clothes on the floor next to the couch table. 

Steve throws Bucky a questioning glance before putting the tray on the table and handing Peter a cup of tea. 

"I also found these," Steve said and pulled a bundle of fuzzy Captain America-themed socks out of his pants pocket, letting them drop on Peter's lap.

"Nice try, Steve, but I won't wear these around the tower. I like the lab privileges."

"Could have worked," says Steve and slaps his knee in faux disappointment to lighten up the mood. Peter's lip twitches at the reaction before he takes a small sip of his tea. "It's good. Thank you, Steve."

"I'm happy to hear that, Peter."

While Peter takes another gulp of his softly steaming mud, Steve subtly nods towards Peter, telling Bucky to fix whatever he has done. Bucky rolls his eyes but gingerly sets his cup of tea down and leans his forearms on his knees before addressing the teen sitting between them.

"Peter, I want to apologize. I was worried about you earlier, but I wouldn't stop believing you because of what happened, even if I were still upset about it. I meant to tease you a little, but I overdid it. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or make you believe I don't trust your words. I'm sorry." 

Bucky glances at Peter, who sits still, looking at the cup in his hands with a thoughtful look. "I guess I should have told you about this earlier," began the teen, cutting both soldiers off when they opened their mouths to protest. "I trust you to have my back. It's not like I believe you would use that information against me. We are a team, after all," Bucky watches Peter's thumb absentmindedly running along the edge of his cup, halting as the teen continues. "I guess I was too embarrassed to tell you."

"Embarrassed?" asks Steve, head tilted to the side in confusion. Peter nods before directing his eyes at him, a shy smile tugging on his lips.

"Isn't it kinda silly? I've got all these powers through the spider bite altering my DNA, but when it gets too cold, I become fatigued. Meanwhile, you are this strong, and the cold doesn't bother you two.

 

I know you can't compare the changes of the serum with my enhancements, but sometimes I think about it and, you know, feel kinda useless." 

Steve hums, fingers drumming against his leg as he thinks about Peter's words. Before he comes to voice his thoughts, a voice on his right beats him to it. Bucky's eyes are trained on the young vigilante sitting between them. 

"You will never be able to beat that flaw of your powers, but stressing about it will get you nowhere." Steve frowns at the harsh words, but when he glances at Peter, he finds him paying close attention to every one of Bucky's words. The latter puts his hand over Peter's knees, hovering there before putting it down, giving it a short squeeze. "Knowing your flaws is one of your biggest strengths. Just keep that in mind." 

Peter sends the man a soft smile. 

"Thanks, Bucky."

Bucky glances at him from the side, the corner of his lip tugged upwards. 

"Don't mention it, punk."

#ticklish! peter parker #ticklish spiderman #marvel tickle fic #marvel fanfic #peter parker #spiderman #spiderman fanfiction #tickling #bucky barnes #steve rogers #captain america #winter soldier #avengers fanfiction #the avengers #marvel

[arlana-likes-to-write]

Battle Scars by Paradise Fears

Summary: You are an empath living in the Avenger Towers. It isn’t your job to help the Avengers when their feelings get out of control but you do it anyway. What happens when you go on a mission and now the empath needs help? 

Warning: mentions of guilt, depression, anger, doubt, sadness (all of the emotions and past traumas of specific Avengers), human trafficking 

Word Count: 7.5k

Please read the end note after this story! It would mean the world to me and my family

Growing up was hard. You were constantly tired as you feed into the emotions of those around you. It started with a tight feeling in your chest as if a ton of bricks were resting there. Then the feeling moved to the base of your head, almost like a headache. Soon you began to feel whatever that person was feeling. It could be anger, grief, sadness, depression and on the off chance; happiness, joy, or pleasure. As you got older you learned to control it. It only took real intense emotions that would call on your mutant powers. So living with the Avengers was a challenge. They were intense people with even bigger emotions. You drank calming tea, meditated, and journaled to keep your own emotions in check. You weren’t a full time member of the team - you spent a majority of the time in the lab with Bruce and Tony. It was rare that you saw action in the field but you were prepared when duty called. Like this past weekend. The world seemed to be on a different level and the Avengers were sent to all corners to deal with rising threats. You were in the compound when Maria approached you with a mission report. You took it without hesitation and now as you sat in your room, a blanket wrapped around you tightly -protecting you from the world, you wished you told Maria no.

The mission went south as soon as you stepped down in Uganda, you were working closely with the Wakandans. Numerous reports of children going mission and the rumors of a human trafficking ring, meant you and T’Challa had to work fast before they left the country. You weren’t fast enough. You closed your eyes, wishing for the images of inside the shipping containers would leave your mind. Sometimes you wished the others had your ability so they knew you were hurting and they could come to you like you’ve done so many times for them. 

*

Steve Rogers; Captain America 

FRIDAY announced the arrival of the team but you knew they were back as soon the quinjet landed. Guilt. It was a powerful emotion and it was confusing one of your teammates and in turn, consuming you. You closed your laptop and headed to the elevator. Before you pressed the button, the door opened and Tony was leaning on the metal wall. “Tons, are you okay?” He nodded, pushed himself off the wall, and walked out the elevator. He didn’t look injured, just exhausted. 

“It’s not me you're feeling El,” He said, placing a hand on your shoulder walking into the lap. El wasn’t your real name, it was your given name by the Avengers as your birth name carried too much trauma. It was short for elephant as Vision let slip that elephants were some of the most empathic creatures. But you weren’t a big fan of being called an elephant so El was the next best thing. “What happened?” You asked, following the billionaire. He became a father figure to you since your parents disowned you when you told them you were going to join the Avengers. Tony fell into his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. The mission was supposed to be a recon on an old HYDRA facility. There were rumors of a new super solider serum and Fury wanted the Avengers to get their hands on it before someone else did. Steve, Tony, Sam, Natasha, and Maria were sent on the mission - that was a week ago. 

“Mission went sideways. It was a trap.” Your stomach dropped. “Wilson and Romonaff are in medbay.” 

“How bad?” You asked. 

“Wilson broke his arm. Romonaoff got it worse - she got a nasty hit to the head. She was unconscious the entire ride back home.” You nodded. “It’s Steve.” Tony whispered. “Steve is who you are feeling, tread lightly.” You gave him a smile and walked back to the elevator, asking FRIDAY where the super soldier was. The AI informed you that Captain Rogers was in the training room - he asked to be alone. You huffed as your rode the elevator to the training room. You wondered if you should have made a stop at medbay but you knew Dr. Cho would have her hands full and Yelena and Bucky would be down there. It was a quick walk to the training room when the elevator stopped. You were greeted with darkness, the windows were covered and a majority of the lights were off besides one. The soldier was illuminated by the light and was punching a sandbag. A pile was forming of ones he destroyed. Oh Steve, you thought, leaning on the door frame. With a hard swing from his right hand, the sandbag broke off the chain and flew towards the wall. 

“You know,” You said, making your presence known. Steve’s shoulders tense up. “I don’t think Tony would appreciate how you are treating the building's equipment.” Steve sighed. 

“I was wondering how long I had before you found me.” You hummed, pushing yourself off the walk and walked over to the soldier. Your footsteps echoed against the wall. 

“I’d say 4 sandbags.” You joked. Steve smiled. “FRIDAY, open the window.” The AI listened to your request and the New York sun lit up the darkness. “Please advise the other Avengers that the training room is off limits.” 

“Understood, El.” 

“I gave FRIDAY that same order but it appears it didn’t work.” You shrugged, sitting on the floor, and patted the empty space next to you. Steve stared at the empty spot and you gave the stubborn captain a pointed look - he sat down next to you. With him being this close, you could feel his guilt. It was suffocating. 

“What’s your favorite part of the day?” You asked, looking forward. He didn’t answer so you answered your question. “Mine is dawn. Dawn means to become day in old English so it’s the first sight of lightness in the morning.” You explained, looking at Steve. He was wondering about your answer. “Do you know why dawn is my favorite?” He shook his head. 

“Why?” He questioned, his voice shaking. 

“Because,” You said slowly. “No matter how dark it is there will be light towards the end. It may take some time but light will over power the darkness.” Steve let out a shaky breath and his blue eyes were glossy with tears.

“It’s so hard,” his voice cracked. “It is so hard to make the final call and it is possible that one of you or all of you don’t return home.” You laced your hand with his. 

“Sam and Natasha are going to be okay.” You said. “You brought them home.” He shook his head. 

“We got lucky this time. What if we aren’t so lucky next time?” He asked. It was a valid question, a question you didn’t have an answer to. This job was filled with uncertainties and a million ‘What if?’ questions. 

“Then we deal with it together because you are not alone and keep marching on. We’ve all got battle scars and you’ve had enough just don’t give up.” You gave his hand a a tight squeeze. “This is worth fighting for. You are worth fighting for.” You watched as a few tears slid down his face. His guilt was still there but it wasn’t as strong. 

“Thank you.”

“Captain Rogers,” FRIDAY’s voice called out. “Dr. Cho wanted me to inform you that Miss. Romanoff is requesting to see you.” You saw the tension leave his shoulders. You gently patted him on the bag. 

“Go get her tiger.” Steve got to his feet quickly, stumbling slightly. You giggle at the flush of embarrassment that graced his cheeks. He gave you a grateful smile and jogged to Medbay. You sighed, leaning back and closed your eyes. You liked the quote by Umar Iban Al-Khattab: ‘No amount of guilt can change the past and no amount of worrying can change the future.’ 

*

Yelena Belova; White Widow 

It wasn’t a normal occurrence for you when sleep avoided you. You laid in bed; hands behind your head as you stared up at the ceiling. A sudden rush of anger passed through you. The strong emotion took your breath away. It was anger mixed with sadness. You slowly sat up. “FRIDAY, who is up right now?” You asked the AI. 

“Miss. Belova is in the kitchen and The Boss is in the lab with Mr. Banner.” You nodded, grabbing a sweatshirt from (you were pretty sure the sweatshirt belonged to Steve) and a pair of fluffy socks. The compound was always freezing at night. You left your room and walked the empty and dark halls to the kitchen. You figured you were feeling Yelena’s range of emotions. She returned from a mission with her sister, they were going on a recon mission to a lab. They’re primary object was to sneak in and steal some intel. You reached the kitchen and saw Yelena sitting at the counter, two bottles of vodka out and a shot glass. She saw you immediately so you didn’t have a chance to watch her. Instead you gave her a friendly smile, grabbed two spoons from the drawer and opened the freezer. Chocolate ice cream. Perfect. You closed the freezer and leaned against the counter. Yelena’s green eyes never left you.  

Yelena was a new addition to the team and you knew she was cactious of you, Natasha must have told her about your ability. You offered her the extra spoon. “Want soom?” You offered. She looked at the spoon then the ice cream. 

“No.” She said, simply. You shrugged, putting the spoon down and opened the ice cream. 

“If you change your mind, the offer still stands.” You took a spoonful and ate it. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched the White Widow take a shot and fill it again. 

“Isn’t that Sam’s ice cream?” She questioned. You looked at the container and saw in horrible penmanship Sam’s name and a drawing of a falcon. You smiled.  

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” You almost dropped your spoon as the smile graced the Russian’s face. A wave of silence passed you two as you ate ice cream and she drank her vodka. Soon you noticed Yelenba looking at the spoon. She took it slowly and you pushed the ice cream container closer to her. “What’s your favorite ice cream?” You asked. She thought for a moment, took a spoonful and ate the chocolate ice cream. 

“Mint chocolate chip.” You scrunted your nose. She laughed, throwing you head back. “What? It’s not good?” You shook your head. 

“Not for me.” You mumbled. Her laughter made you smile. Her earlier feelings of anger and sadness were disappearing but they were lingering.

“So what is your favorite ice cream?” She asked. 

“Rocky road.” You said without hesitation. “I have good memories with my parents sitting at a pond, eating rocky road and watching the ducks.” You said, sighing. You couldn’t tell if this overwhelming sadness was your own emotion or Yelena’s. 

“I like mint chocolate chip because it reminds me of a time before the Red Room.” She stopped, taking another shot of vodka. You didn’t prompt the blonde to continue, hoping she would on her own. “Alexi took Natasha and I to a small ice cream shop. We had to stay in the car and he didn’t know what ice cream flavor kids liked so he got us mint chocolate.” You smiled as you listened to her talk. “Natasha didn’t like it but I ate all of mine.” She sighed. Yup, you thought, the sadness was coming from her. Her jaw clenched as she threw back another shot. The anger was back. “I hate them so much.” She confessed. 

“Who do you hate, Yelena?” You asked softly. She looked at you, blinking her green eyes at you. She shook her head. 

“Nobody,” she said suddenly. “It’s not important. You have more important things to do.” She stood, gathered her bottles of liquor, and shot glasses. “Thank you for sharing ice cream.” You stared blankly as the White Widow headed back to her room. You broke out of your trance and ran after her. 

“Yelena,” her name stopped her. “You’ve had enough, just don’t give up. You are worth fighting for. You know we’ve all got battle scars. Just keep marching on.” She didn’t respond or turn around to look at you. “You are not alone.” Her body began to shake. 

“I’m angry at Natasha, Alexi, and Melina.” She answered, turning to face you with tears coming down her cheeks. “Why did they give me back to the Red Room? Why didn’t Natasha come back for me?” You weren’t sure if she wanted you to answer or she was just throwing these questions to the universe. “We got separated on our mission and I found my way out of the lap and I couldn’t find Natasha. I thought she left me again.” Her hands tightened around the neck of the bottle. “I don’t want to be alone again.” You took a few tentative steps towards the Russian, closing the distance. 

“You aren’t alone.” You said, taking the glass out of her hands. “As long as I’m here you won’t be alone.” She looked into your eyes, looking for any lie in your words. She chuckled, whipping away her tears. 

“Natasha was right. You are a weird one.” You laughed, throwing your head back. 

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Come on, let's go watch a movie.” You held out your freehand and the Russian took it. 

*

Bucky Barnes, White Wolf 

You watched the Quinjet touch down, wrapping the rain jacket tightly around you. It was down pouring in Upstate New York. This was the type of weather where you wished you were curled up in your room, under blankets and hot chocolate. But you were waiting for members of the team to come home from a mission. Bruce, Sam, Bucky, and Steve were returning home from clearing out an old HYDRA base, a simple mission. But Bucy stumbled upon mission reports of him as the Winter Soldier and it triggered a depressive episode. Sam sent you a text on their way home. Bruce was the first out of the Quinjet. He descended the ramp and jogged over the covering where you were standing to avoid the rain. You smiled at him. “How’s the team doing, doctor? Any injuries?” He shook his head, spraying water on you. 

“Cap dislocated his shoulder but nothing major besides,” he waved his hand. You nodded, he was talking about Bucky. 

“Headed to the lab?”

“Yeah after a shower.” 

“I’ll see you down there.” He placed a gentle hand on your shoulder. 

“Take your time, kid.” He went into the compound. Next to descend the ramp was Captain America. He was stretching his shoulder as he didn’t seem to be bothered by the rain. 

“How’s the shoulder, Captain?” He shrugged. “I’ve had worse,” You laughed, shaking your head. 

“Natasha is waiting for you. FRIDAY alerted her that you were hurt.” Steve groaned and followed the same path as Bruce. You waited for the next member to come out but no one did. You groaned, ran through the rain, and up the ramp into the Quinjet. You loved the sound of rain hitting metal. On any other day you would enjoy the sound but as you walked through the Quinjet to find Bucky and Sam, a cloud covered your mind. It stopped you in your tracks. Darkness, regret, and sadness crept through you. You felt cold. You shook off the feeling and continued. You found Bucky, sitting on the ground, Sam kneeling in front of him with his hands on Bucky’s knees. The cute interaction made you smile. Sam looked away from his boyfriend and smiled. 

“Hey, El.” You waved. “He’s barely said a word and hasn’t moved.” You nodded, walking over to them. You placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder. 

“I got him.” Sam nodded, standing up. He pulled you into a quick hug. 

“Thank you.” His words vibrated through his chest. You scrunted your nose, pushing him away. 

“You stink.” Sam laughed, shaking his head. 

“Yeah, yeah.” He bumped your shoulder against yours as he left you and the super soldier alone. His head was down, staring at his hands. You sighed and sat next to him. 

“If you could be an animal, any animal in the world, what would you be?” You asked. He didn’t respond, he made no sign that he heard you. “I think I’d be a butterfly. Across different cultures, the butterfly has become a metaphor for transformation and hope. It starts with a colorless caterpillar and turns into an exquisite winged beautiful creature.” You explained. He leaned his head back and was looking forward. Progress. “White Wolf.” You whispered. “A wolf symbolizes loyalty, protection, and freedom.” He let out a shaky breath and his blue eyes were glossy with tears. “In many Native American cultures, wolves are scared creatures. They are strong and courageous.” You looked at the soldier. “I think the Wakandans picked a perfect name for you, Bucky. You are a wolf.” He shook his head. “Why not?” You asked. 

“I hurt and killed so many people.” His voice was shaky as tears fell from his eyes. “I’m not a protector but a monster.” Your heart broke at the way he was talking about himself. 

“The Winter Soldier did those things. The White Wolf didn’t.” He formed his vibranium hand into a fist, opening and closing it. “Better days are near. Hope is so much stronger than fear. You’ve had enough just don’t give up. You are worth fighting for. We all have battle scars.” You stood up, taking your rain jacket off, and held out your hand. “Do you trust me?” You asked. He looked up at you. 

“Of course.” He said. 

“Then trust me when I say I trust you with my life Bucky Barnes and I know everyone behind those walls,” You pointed in the direction of the compound. “Do as well.” He hesitantly put his flesh hand up to grab yours but you pulled your hand back. Confusion flashed across his face. “Other hand.” You told him. He sighed but grabbed your hand with his vibranium one. The temperature difference shocked you. You pulled him to his feet and dragged him out of the Quinjet, down the ramp, and into the rain. 

“What are we doing?” He asked. 

“Teach me how to dance.” You said, grabbing his flesh hand. His eyes grew wide. 

“What?” He questioned. 

“You heard me, old man. Teach me how to dance.” 

“In the rain?” You nodded. “Right now?” You nodded again, excitedly. “Why?” He asked. 

“Because it’s fun.” You said simply. He gave you a pointed look. You shrugged, rolling your eyes. “Have you seen Shawkshank Redemption?” You asked. Bucky shook his head. “Remind me to have a long talk with Sam on what movies he’s showing you.” He smiled. “Towards the end of the movie, one of the characters stands in the pouring rain with his hands stretched out.” You demonstrated the iconic scene with your hands outstretched to the sky. You grabbed his hands again. “Rain is a symbol of rebirth, the flow of life, and cleansing.” You squeezed his hands. “Your memories of the Winter Soldier won’t go away overnight and that quilt, anger, and sadness you carry may never leave you.” You told him honestly. “But you will learn to cope with it. Some days will be better than others. Let today be a reminder for you that you are still alive and so many people care about you. You are not alone.” Your smile grew. “So cleanse away those thoughts and dance with me.” Bucky chuckled, shaking his head. 

“Alright, let’s see those moves.” The darkness was still looming over Bucky but just as a rainstorm, the clouds passed and the sun began to shine again. 

*

Maria Hill; Deputy Director of SHIELD

You regretted saying yes to Wanda. She had a date with Vision and she asked you to finish her mission report and hand it in to Maria. Bucky and Sam invited you and Yelena to play Guitar Hero but you had to decline because it was impossible for you to say no to the Sokovian. You groaned, putting your hand up to knock on the Deputy Director’s door but stopped. Intense feelings of guilt, stress, and dread washed over you. You shook off the feeling and knocked on the door. It took a minute but you heard Maria call out, “Come in.” You opened the door and stepped into her off. Ah. It was Maris you were feeling. Her desk was covered with files. She had another desk with a 3 screen computer system and you could make out emails that needed to be answered. A bottle of whiskey was on her desk, unopened but you could bet she was itching to open it. 

“What can I do for you?” She asked. Her question broke you out of your trance. 

“Mine and Wanda’s mission report.” You said, holding up the folder. You watched Maria suppress a sigh. Over the years you’ve learned to never ask if someone was okay if you could feel their emotions - they would deny something was wrong. You walked over to her desk and handed it over to her. She reached out for it with a tired smile. 

“Thank you.” She went to grab it but you pulled it away. 

“Are you hungry? Because I haven’t eaten all day and I could eat.” It was a small lie but Maria didn’t need to know that. She shook her head. 

“I’m not hungry.” Well that was a lie. “Besides, I have too much to do.” You handed her the folder but once again as soon as she was  going to take it you pulled it away. Her glare would send any agent or Avenger running but you smiled. “I’m about to kick your ass.” 

“I know.” You jumped on the empty space on her desk to sit down. “I’m thinking Chinese or maybe Italian. No Indian. Ugh Mexican.” You were swinging your feet, careful not to damage her desk. “What are you thinking?” 

“If I give you an answer will you leave and give me your mission report?” You nodded. Maria sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Fine Indian.” You smiled, jumped off her desk, and handed her the file. 

“I’ll be back.”

“Can’t wait.” Maria deadpanned. You rolled your eyes at her dry humor. An hour later you found yourself back at Maria’s door. This time you entered without knocking. Nothing in her office changed besides the bottle of whiskey was now open. “Food delivery.” You said, kicking the door closed. You sat on the empty space on the ground with your back resting on the wall. You began to lay out the food, glancing at Maria. “Are you going to join me?” You asked. 

“Why do I have a feeling you won’t let me say no?” You smirked. 

“Because you know me very well.” Maria rolled her eyes, standing from her desk and walking over to you. She made sure to grab the whiskey. She sat in front of you and chose her food. You ate in a comfortable silence until Maria broke it. She took a hefty swig of the whiskey. 

“I know what you are doing.” You hummed, unable to say anything with a mouth full of food. “You can sense I’m feeling a certain type of way and you think it’s your job to help.” You whipped your mouth with a napkin. “I’m fine.” Debatable. But you kept that comment yourself. 

“I’m not doing anything.” Which was true. “My mom told me that working on an empty stomach leads to mistakes and mistakes will make work take longer.” “It’s hard to take advice from a woman that disowned their own kid because they wanted to do good.” You were shocked at Maria’s bluntness regarding your family. She winced. “Sorry that came out wrong.” 

“No, I mean you aren’t wrong.” You sighed. “My relationship with my biological family ended poorly but I found a new one because of it. You, Nick, and all the other crazy characters that live here are my family.” Maria nodded. She was looking down at her food, stirring it. She appeared to be lost in thought and her emotions were muddy, you couldn’t pinpoint what she was feeling. You wondered if her feelings had to do with the idea of family. There were rumors that the Deputy Director had family issues of her own and her agent assumed that was why she’s so unpleasant. You bite the inside of your cheek. “Are you up for a little adventure with me?” You asked. She looked up at you. 

“Oh what the hell. You’ve already made me behind.” You smiled, cleaning up the food. The first step was the fridge then you lead Maria out of the compound to a remote area of the property. You were close to the treeline but had a lot of empty space to move around in. It was twilight - the sun was beginning to set and the stars were coming out. The air seemed fresser here. “Why did you bring me out here?” She asked. 

“To scream.” 

“Excuse me?” She questioned. You nodded, jumping on the balls of your feet. 

“One of the best things about nature is it’s the world’s best secret keeper. You can tell it anything and it will hold it forever.” You explained. You had good memories of yelling your secrets with your brother at your vacation home in Maine. “Even if you don’t say words and just scream or yell or laugh or cry. The trees, the stars, and the moon will listen.” Maria looked confused. “Allow me.” You looked up to the sky and screamed. You looked back at the SHIELD agent and she was shocked by the sound. But you felt freer, the weight that you felt on your chest was a little bit lighter. This time you yelled looking at the ground. “Try it.” 

“You are insane.”

“Probably but have I ever steered any of you in the wrong direction before?” Maria sighed and shook her head. You waved your wan, telling her it was her turn. She closed her eyes, looked up at the sky, and screamed. You cheered and clapped your hands. She yelled again. On her third scream, you joined her. “How do you feel?” You asked. Her cheeks were flushed and her chest was rising and falling, a little faster than normal. 

“Better. A lot better.” You smiled. 

“Tell nature everything. Tell it all of your secrets.” With a deep breath in and out you yelled, “I wish I was good enough for my parents. I wish I didn’t miss them and I hate that I still love them.” Her face softened as if a part of her understood everything you confessed. “Your secrets are safe with me and nature. Scouts honor.” Maria chuckled, pending down to pick up a rock. She threw it in the air and caught it a few times before tossing it into the woods. 

Placing her hands on her hips, she yelled, “Sometimes I wish I declined the promotion of Deputy Director.” You kept your face neutral at Maria’s confession. “I lose sleep at night when I send the Avengers and my agents on a mission because I worry they won’t come home.” Your heart broke. “I have to pick and choose who we help and it kills me that we can’t help everyone.” You smiled at her. “I want people to see me. Not an agent or Deputy Director, just Maria.” She yelled one more time and fell to her knees. “I wish I could be good enough for my dad.” She whispered. You sat on the grass in front of her. The only noise between you two was Maria’s labored breathing as she tried to get her heart rate under control. 

“I’m proud of you.” You said. Her head snapped up to look at you. “I know I’m not the person you want to hear it from but it doesn't make it any less true. You have an incredibly difficult job and many agents and Avengers give you shit for doing your job. I also bet dealing with Fury isn’t a walk in the park either.” Maria let out a wet chuckle, whipping away a few tears that fell. “But never doubt we don’t have faith in you.” She let out a shaky breath. “We’ve all got battle scars. You’ve had enough, just don’t give up and stick to your guns. Keep marching on.” You took Maria’s hand in yours, squeezing it. Her emotions weren’t as cloudy. 

“Thank you for this.” She said softly. She let go of one of your hands to cover her mouth as she yawned. 

“Come on, Deputy Director, you need sleep.” You stood up, pulling her to her feet. “And before you argue with me if you go get some sleep I will help you tackle that mess of an office.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No I don’t,” you said. “But I want to help if you want me too.” You gave her the option to not feel as if you were pressuring her. 

“I’d love your help.” You began your walk back to the compound. She put her arm around your shoulders. “They are missing out.” She said, “You are one hell of a superhero.” You smiled, looking at the ground. “I’m proud of you too.”

*

Natasha Romanoff; Black Widow 

You hated being cold. It was winter in Upstate New York and you were not having a good time. Yes, it was pretty and snow meant Christmas but you had half the mind to march to Tony and ask him why he didn’t build the Avenger’s compound in Florida. You were bundled up in a fluffy blanket with hot chocolate in your hands near the fireplace. You were reading when you heard footsteps headed your direction. Grief and sadness as the Black Widow sat next to you. You put your book down and opened your arms. Natasha didn’t even hesitate to move to sit between your legs and you wrapped the blanket around her. The redhead slumped against you, allowing you to hold her weight. You and the Black Widow had a complicated relationship. She hated that you always knew her true feelings and it took years for her to realize you weren’t going to use it against her. It wasn’t until after your fight with Ultron, Natasha started to trust and open up to you. She was the only person in the compound to come to you when her feelings got out of control. It was comforting to know she trusted you on such an intimate level and you weren’t going to break it. You rested your head on her shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?” You asked. She didn’t answer verbally but you felt her shake your head. “Okay, we can just sit here until you are ready.” The Black Widow just returned from a mission with Steve, Wanda, and Vision. They were in Russia for 3 days. You knew she was going to struggle being there. You sighed. She was warm and you were jealous. 

“You are always so cold.” She mumbled. You rolled her eyes. 

“Trust me I’m aware.” The redhead chuckled. “But at least I have a best friend as a heater.” You gave her a squeeze. You got the opposite reaction you thought you were going to get. Natasha tensed up in your arms instead of relaxing more. “Tash, talk to me.” You whispered. 

“Can we go to your room?” She asked, her voice was shaking. You nodded. 

“Of course.” The Black Widow was comfortable showing emotion in front of you, Steve, and Yelena but not the whole team. You lead the redhead to your room. You held open the door and as soon as Natasha walked in, she climbed into your bed. You closed the door, joining her, and she moved to lay her head on your chest. As routine, you began to run your fingers through her hair. You felt her tears on your shirt but you didn’t call attention to it. You let her cry. You weren’t sure how long you laid there but Natasha sat up and leaned against the wall. 

“I hate Russian missions.” she said, rubbing her eyes. You sat up and handed her tissues that you kept on your nightstand. She took them with a smile. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” She shrugged, looking up at your ceiling. 

“The mission went well. We got in and out without any problems.” She closed her eyes. “We were leaving and I saw these kids playing soccer in the street. Just kicking a ball with no care in the world and I was looking at these kids and I saw myself and Yelena.” She shook her head. “I don’t know we didn’t have that. I mean we did but it was for a mission it wasn’t real.”

“Natalia.” You said. She winched at the name. It was an argument that happened a lot when Natasha first told you about the Red Room mission in Ohio. You determined early on that Natasha told herself that her ‘family’ wasn’t real to help with her guilt and to make it hurt less that they gave her away. The Russian sighed. 

“Yes, yes, I know the mission gave me a real family.” You smiled. “I got angry watching these kids because what they had was stripped away from me.” You nodded. A normal childhood. A childhood that wasn’t about training or ballet lessons. 

“What else happened?” You asked, it wasn’t the whole story. 

“One of the kids got hurt. She had to be 6 maybe 7 and an older kid ran over to her. It was nothing major, just a scraped knee.” She looked back at you and you watched tears start to leave her green eyes. You had a pretty good idea why seeing this was affecting her but you learned it was best for people to say it out loud if possible. “She was only 6 too.” Yelena. You were feeling guilt and grief pulsing through the Black Widow. “And I just left her. I didn’t go back for her.” You knew Yelena and Natasha had come to an understanding of what happened all those years ago but it didn’t make the pain and the guilt any easier. “I let her get controlled.” You shook her head. 

“That wasn’t you Natasha. You had no idea what was going to happen to Yelena.” 

“I should have gone back for her.” You shrugged. “Maybe you should have or maybe Dreykov would have gotten you under his control too.” You grabbed her hand, running your thumb over the back of her hand. “The world is filled with ‘What ifs’ and we’ll drive ourselves mad thinking about what could have been.” You knew from first hand experience. Many nights you lie awake wondering what your life would be like if you said no to Tony. What if you didn’t join the Avengers? “We can’t join the past but we can live for the future.” 

“Would you change the past?” She asked. You thought for a moment, looking at your connected hands. 

“No, I love the life I’m living.” You squeezed her hand. “Definitely how I thought my life would be but I can’t complain.” She nodded her head slowly. “You’re not alone anymore, Nat. Neither is Yelena. Some days that guilt will eat you up inside but better days are near. Just don’t give up.” Natasha squeezed your hand back. 

“I’m glad life brought us together.” She confessed. “You have done a lot for me, for all of us.” You felt your cheeks burn at her honestly. 

“Just doing my job.” Natasha rolled her eyes and pushed you gently on the shoulder. 

“Your job isn’t to be our therapist but we approached it.” You shrugged. 

“Miss. Romanoff, Miss. Belova is looking for you.” The AI said. You looked at Natasha. 

“Movie marathon?” You suggested. “We said we’d try to watch all the Harry Potter movies in one sitting.” 

“FRIDAY, tell Yelena where I am and bring snacks and drinks.” You laughed as Natasha got comfortable in your bed. You grabbed the remote and queued up the first movie. Life hasn’t been the kindest but you wouldn’t change it 

*

El; Empath 

“Has anyone seen El?” Maria asked, walking into the common area holding a folder in her hands. Natasha laid on the couch, her head in Steve’s lap and her feet in Yelena’s, who was playing Mario Kart against Bucky and Sam. 

“FRIDAY said they were going to shower and be right out.” Sam said, without looking away from the screen. Natasha looked at Maria and saw the worry on her face. The Black Widow sat up, earning a curse from her sister. 

“What’s wrong, Maria?” She handed Natasha the folder. 

“That is T’Challa’s report on their mission.” Maria watched Natasha open the report and the color drained from her face. 

“Nat,” Steve said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “What happened?” Bucky paused the game. Natasha cleared her throat. 

“We arrived at the abandoned warehouse at 0700. Upon searching the area we found no signs of anyone being there for some time. Our last area to search were two large shipping containers.” Natasha sighed. “As we got closer, we noticed the smell. El opened the first container. Inside were the bodies of 15 children, ranging from 5 to 16. There were no survivors.” Natasha closed the file. A heavy silence filled the common area. 

“How do we help them?” Yelena asked, breaking the silence. “They are always there for us, how do we be there for them?” 

“I have an idea,” Maria said. “But I’m going to need help.” 

*

You didn’t expect a knock on your door and you were tempted to ignore it. But another round of knocking forced you to leave your cocoon of blankets and walked to the door. A wave of emotions rushed through you; anxiety, hopefulness, excitement, and joy. It was a weird mix and you had to compose yourself before opening the door. It was Maria. Today was full of surprises. “I haven’t finished my mission report.” Truth be told, you haven’t even started the report. The idea of having to relive the past 48 hours made your stomach turn. “I’ll have it on your desk by tomorrow morning.”

“I’m not looking for your report.” Oh. Before you could question why the Deputy Director was at your door she continued, “I read T’Challa’s.” Oh. You didn’t know the King of Wakanda needed to write mission reports. 

“Oh.” You said, looking down at your feet. “I uh well you know how things went down then.” You felt tears in the corner of your eyes. A headache was forming and your chest hurt as you held back the tears. Maria held out her hand. 

“Do you want to go on an adventure with me?” She asked. It was a strange deja vu moment. How many times have you stood in front of the team with your hand out hoping they took it? You wanted to crawl back into bed and ignore the world but you took her hand. You barely got the chance to close your door before Maria dragged you to the elevator. She pressed the button and waited for the metal door. 

“Where are we going?” You asked. She gave you a smile. 

“The roof.” She said as the doors opened. The roof of the compound was your favorite place. It allowed you a place to sit in silence; to feel the wind, listen to the trees, and look at the stars on a clearless night. The roof also allowed you to get away from everyone when you needed a break from their emotions. The elevator opened and you stepped onto the roof. The normal bare roof was transformed. A protector was set up, playing the intro to Hercules. It was one of your comfort movies. In front of the projector - were an assortment of pillows and blankets. Yelena was sitting on some of the pillows with a bowl of popcorn trying to throw pieces into Sam’s mouth while Bucky watched. Natasha and Steve were pouring chips into bowls. 

“What is this?” You asked. Your voice caused your teammates to look at you. 

“This,” Sam answered. “Is our version of the talk you give us.” You looked at him confused. Maria led you to the pillow fort and you sat down. Steve and Natasha joined you. 

“You are always there for us no matter what we are feeling without us needing to ask.” Maria explained. 

“This is us doing it for you.” Bucky shrugged. “Words aren’t our strength but Maria thought a movie might help.” The SHIELD agent blushed at being called out that this was her idea.

“We can watch it with you or if you prefer to watch it by yourself, that’s okay too.” Steve said. It was weird, you were feeling no overpowering emotions from them just you own. You were overwhelmed.  

“Uh, stay please.” You cleared your throat. “Please stay.” Yelena smiled. 

“We got you, dorogoy.” You found yourself resting your head on Maria’s lap with Yelena laying next to you as Natasha started the movie. 

“Do you think Thor has met Hercules?” Natasha asked as the muses began to tell the story. 

“He’s met Zeus, so probably.” You said, taking a handful of popcorn. 

“Sh,” Sam said, throwing a piece of candy at you. You gasped, taking the candy and unwrapping it. You eat it. “Stop talking.” 

“Can we sing?” Yelena asked, glancing at him. He thought about it. 

“I will allow singing.” Yelena gave you a high five. You were feeling better surrounded by people that loved you. 

*

As the credits began to roll, the reality of the situation you experienced crashed down on you. You turned your head into Maria’s lap and bit back a sob. Her hands immediately wento your back, soothing your cries. “We weren’t fast enough,” Your words were muffled but you knew you had their attention as the movie was muted. “Everytime I close my eyes I see that shipping container. Gods, I wish we were faster.” You cried. How many families had to be notified? Families were broken. Sons and daughters were lost. Siblings were never coming home. “They were right.” You said. The words of your parents echoed in your mind. Failure. Worthless. 

“Who are you talking about, malen’kiy slon (little elephant)?” Natasha asked. 

“My parents.” You felt Maria tense up. “They didn’t just not want me to become an Avenger but they said I wasn’t good enough to become one. They said I’d fail.” 

“No,” Natasha said. You heard movement and soon you felt warm hands on your arms and pulled you into a seated position. “I won’t sit here and let you think bad about yourself. They were wrong.” 

“Nat.” You said, slowly. 

“She’s right.” You looked at Bucky. “What happened in Uganda wasn’t your fault.” You looked down, feeling shame creep around you. Maybe if one of them took the mission the outcome would have been different. You weren’t an Avenger. You weren’t a hero. 

“Why do you like the stars so much?” Sam asked. The question caused your spiraling thoughts to stop. You didn’t look up. 

“I like them because of the stories they tell.” Steve answered. “History is persevered in the night sky.” You smiled, looking up. 

“I think they are pretty to look at.” Yelena added. “It’s amazing to think we live underneath such a work of art.” Your smile crew. It was an interesting feeling being on the other side of your silly little question game. 

“I like them.” You began. “Because they are a reminder that we aren’t alone. While you are looking at the stars someone else could be looking at them too.” You let out a shaky breath. “And..hundreds of years ago someone was standing in your exact spot, looking at the same stars.” 

“Exactly,” Maria said softly. “We’ll carry you home. You’re not alone. Keep marching on.” 

“This is worth fighting for.” Sam said. Natasha gave your arms a gentle squeeze. You looked at the red head. 

“You know we’ve all got battle scars.”

“You’ve had enough. Just don’t give up.” Steve said. 

“You are worth fighting for.” Yelena smiled. “Just keep marching on.” You nodded, whipping away your tears. You laughed. 

“I thought you said you guys were bad with words.” You joked. 

“We learned from the best.” Maria smiled. 

“Thank you,” You said. “Thank you for this. Can we watch another movie?” You asked. 

“Anything you need.” 

“Ooo I get to pick.” Yelena jumped up and picked The Incredibles. She laid back next to you, grabbing your hand. 

“Great choice.” Bucky said. You couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not. You didn’t care as you leaned back in Maria’s arms. The Avengers were fighters, soldiers, and righteous. They were once lost, broken, and defeated. But they all had battle scars. As the movie began you were grateful to call them family and home.            

_ 

I’m not the type of person to ask for help but I feel a little helpless. Hurricane Ian devested my home town (I don’t live in Florida anymore) but I lived where the path of the hurricane directly hit for 13 years. That being said my grandfather lives down there and his house was damaged. My grandfather hasn’t had the easiest few years. His wife (my grandmother) passed away 2 years ago during COVID, he’s recently been put on oxygen, and he’s a lone done there. My parents are working on getting down there but the city is a mess and he’s without power and electricity. 

I’ve added my kofi donation page to this story. All donations no matter how big or small will go directly to helping my grandfather get back on his feet and help get my parents down there. They will be missing work by going down there so it will help with bills. 

I appreciate all the support and love you all have given me. If you happen to donate I’d love to write you a personal story for a fandom of your choice. Any amount will help. 

Much love. -Arlana       

#marvel fanfiction #marvel one shot #yelena belova x reader #natasha romanoff x reader #steve rogers x reader #james bucky barnes #maria hill x reader #natasha romanoff x steve rogers #james bucky barnes x sam wilson #yelena belova x you #natasha romanoff #maria hill #bucky barnes x reader #james bucky buchanan barnes #bucky barnes x you #maria hill x you #natasha romanov x reader

[rqgnarok]

catalogue - sam wilson

fandom: marvel, the falcon & the winter soldier

wc: 4,368

warnings: implied smut, mentions of injuries and scars, blood and bruises. neutral pronouns, no use of (y/n).

summary: you and sam don’t get to see each other often, but when you do, there’s a ritual you insist on going through to deal with your time apart. 

masterlist / ao3 / ko-fi

You’re a sight for Sam’s sore eyes. 

He hasn’t seen you in over six months. It’s an occupational hazard, he knows, but it’s the worst. Being the Falcon made his personal life take a step back in his list of priorities, and becoming Captain America meant setting the list on fire and declaring Sam Wilson’s downtime practically nonexistent. As far as he’s aware, Sarah and the boys are the only exceptions to the rule.

It’s not all on him. You’re an Avenger, too, even if you’re semi-retired. Semi, because the new kids still look for guidance as much as they can and you still keep a room at the Avengers compound because of it, even if scarcely decorated. 

You make your entrance by scaring the shit out of him because of course, you have to. 

“Is this what you call watching your six?”

Sam puffs out a sound between a scoff and a laugh. It’s always an interesting mix of emotions with you, Sam has never felt so safe and yet unbalanced than when he’s in your presence. It creates a sort of vacuum in his belly that has him feeling like a kid with a crush, but he’ll die before he ever admits that to anyone. Especially you.

“You know you don’t have to sneak up on me every time.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” you quip, raising your brows and extending a hand that Sam takes to haul himself back on his feet. You click your tongue. “Gotta say, though, it’s a little less charming now that you’re Captain America. Where does that leave national security?”

Sam rolls his eyes so hard he’s about to give himself a headache, dusting off his ass and giving you a quick once-over, taking advantage of your sudden closeness to do so freely. “Thank Jesus the world still has you, then.”

“Only half time,” you shrug, unaware that Sam knows you’ve spent more time at the Avengers compound than your own apartment lately. If he has a few eyes that check up on you when you’re there, well. It’s only cause he worries. “You and Barnes playing in the Big Leagues leaves a lot of unfinished business for little guys like us.”

“Says the little guy who’s been to space,” Sam uses the same argument he always does when you try to downplay your importance in the job you do. It’s like a script, these meetings of yours, always under the excuse of responsibility until it’s not– until the conversation flows into what Sam has been aching for since the last time he saw you. 

You roll your eyes like he knew you would. You’ve been an Avenger since before they had the name for it, so if anyone deserves the semi-retirement, Sam concedes, it’s gotta be you. He won’t pretend it won’t be a big hit when you choose to walk away completely, though. Whether that’s to the business or Sam’s life, well. That’s another conversation.

He misses you. It’s hardly a crime. 

“And they’ve still got us doing intel like we’re rookies,” you shrug, lessening your significance anyway. As if you weren’t up there in the cosmos chasing after freaking Thanos, but Sam won’t argue with you about this. You already spend so little time together to waste it building conflicts between you.

“Please,” Sam’s a professional, so he doesn’t make a bitchface and say girl with disbelief coating his tone, but judging from the amusement that glints in your eyes, you read through the lines with ease. “Like we’d let the children anywhere near this.”

“Okay, Dad,” you snort. “How are Torres and Barnes anyway?”

“The kid and his grandpa are fine,” he goes for annoyed but his grin is boyish and unrestrained. “Jealous they weren’t authorized to drop by. This is practically a vacation, you know.”

You shake your head, but all in good fun. “If your bosses have you thinking that then you desperately need some real downtime.”

“This is as close as it gets, these days.” 

Torres had flown him all the way to Switzerland just so Sam could go and spend a few weeks in a rustic, semi-abandoned town on the outskirts of the city where an old SHIELD safehouse still stood against all odds. 

Why he had to go to the other side of the world for some intel, he asked and got no answer. Now it comes to mind how he has no idea where you– his contact– have been stationed lately nor what kind of work you’ve been pulling for whoever it is you answer to these days.

You don’t tell him about it, and he’s quit on trying to ask. Whether it’s because you don’t think he’ll approve of what you’re doing or because it’s strictly classified, Sam doesn’t know. 

“Blink twice if they’re holding you hostage,” you say in all seriousness, and he peels his eyes at you without blinking, getting close to your face. You laugh, pushing him away. “Alright, alright, I get it. You’re one with the nation. Let me show you these files and see what Mr. America makes of ‘em.”

The physical files you actually bring with you are minimal, and most of the data you’ve been ordered to skim through is kept in a USB you hand to Sam as soon as the coffee has kicked in. Neither of you are exactly sure what it is you’re looking for so you’re stuck in the studio of the tiny, look-at-me-wrong-and-I’ll-crumble safe house for over three whole days before you finally start gathering some worthy intel.

“I was told we’d known when we found it,” you shrug, not visibly bothered by the fact that you’ve most likely been sent on a wild goose chase. “Or if we didn’t. We might go back empty-handed after all.”

It’s not encouraging but it’s what you’ve got, even if Sam isn’t sure he’s able to be out of commission for that long. He’s realized people get antsy when Captain America isn’t seen somewhere in the world after a few days, but despite how hard he tries he’s not able to be in two places at once.

“Yet,” he tells you when you take a food break and you allow him to rant about these troubles. “Haven’t figured it out yet, but Steve kind of managed it after a few years, right?”

“Steve was superhuman,” you remind him helpfully behind your coffee cup. You’d found some old whiskey at the back of a cabinet and doused your drink with it, so you make a face when it goes down. 

“You don’t think I’m super?”

“I think you’re something, alright.”

“Aw. That was almost a compliment.”

“Can’t let it get to your head, hotshot. Ego’s already too big for your body.”

It’s so fucking domestic Sam feels the ache of it in his teeth. You, sitting at the table in your tiny kitchen while he sits on the counter, each drinking your coffee how you like it as the sun sets through the window above the sink. Talking for hours until you realize you’re practically sitting in the dark as the afternoon flew by while you were taken with each other’s company. 

But then you go back to looking at intel until your eyes are burning and you excuse yourself to pass out on the couch. You do it almost half an hour to the dot before Sam gives up himself, and he’s pretty sure you know enough of his tells to know when he’s getting tired and make an early escape so he doesn’t take the couch himself. 

“You take the bed,” he’d offered the first night, having a little trouble not making it sound like an order. By how you’d raised your eyebrow, he’d failed by a mile. “God knows where you’re sleeping these days. It’s the least I can do after dragging you all the way out here.”

“You’re the one who keeps saying he’s on vacation,” you take your bags from his hands and drop them unceremoniously on the coffee table, marking the living room territory as yours. “And I’m sure the US government will kill me if I bring you back with a fucked up back.”

He almost suggested you could share. You have before, both out of necessity and leisure, but Sam’s sure that topic’s on the list of Things Not To Talk To You About. It might be the first one up there, in all caps and underlined with bright red. 

Sam has both held you down to fuck your brains out and held your bleeding body in his hands, pressing against a gunshot wound to keep blood flow to a minimum. It’s a fucked up type of intimacy he doesn’t share with anyone else, but he’s still hesitant to bring it up. Somehow both events keep happening whether he intends for them or not. 

It’s like he’s waiting for the shoe to drop, and it finally does on the fifth day of your assignment. 

You ultimately get a lead from the USB. It guides you to search for a random code you insist it’s on a file you’d read through already. You make a noise of victory under your breath when you spot it across the table and when you shift to reach for it, your breath hitches.

It’s a quiet thing Sam wouldn’t be able to acknowledge if he weren’t good at his job, but he is. 

“What is it?” he asks, suddenly alert, fingers twitching with the urge to hover over you worriedly. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you shake your head. Whatever shadow of hesitance had fallen over you is pulled back into place, tucked away for Sam to blissfully ignore. 

You both know that shit won’t fly, but Sam thinks it’s cute you try anyway.

He stares at you and you avoid his eye long enough, face buried in the file, to know you know he’s noticed. It’s a silent request to let it pass. 

Tough fucking luck. Sam calls your name, admonishing.

“Sam,” you say right back at him in the same tone, still not looking at him. Sam grinds his teeth in annoyance, jaw tight. 

“Are you hurt?”

You shake your head. “I’m fine. You know how it is.”

It’s not a no. 

“I do know,” Sam agrees, but his mood’s a short fuse. “Are you grounded? Is that why you’re here? Because you’re hurt?”

Fucking jackpot. You exhale through your nose and tighten your jaw at the question but refuse to answer. You’re a couple of feet apart, divided by the desk filled with files and information, but somehow this is the closest he’s felt to you since you got here. 

You’d been hiding something since the beginning; taking the couch when you could’ve been sharing the bed from the start, touching him less than usual so things wouldn’t go further, and moving around the house with rigid, calculated movements.

“Manning the desk,” he says with a little too much bite, and he can physically watch your hackles rise; the annoyance in your eyes when they finally meet his, the biting of your cheek to stop yourself from rising to his sudden passive-aggressive hostility. “Handing me files, giving me intel. You’re flying halfway across the world to keep yourself out of the field.”

“Sam,” you say through gritted teeth. 

“You’re hurt,” he replies, not a question, nodding at your torso. It’s all suddenly painstakingly clear, the past week flashing through his mind like a movie from a different point of view. “And you’re hiding it from me, for some reason.”

“Is that all, Captain?” you ask, creating distance with the use of his new title in a way he despises and you know he does. You’re good at that, finding where it hurts and pressing methodically until the skin gives. Sam’s just not used to the trick being used on him. “Or is there something else about my person that you’ve figured out and have yet to enlighten me about?”

“Let me see,” he ignores you. It's easier than trying to match your level of cruel cleverness.  He stands to cross over to your side of the desk, staring down at you expectantly with arms crossed. “Come on, show me.”

“No,” you deadpan, but the way you wrap your arms carefully around yourself shows the defensiveness underneath your nonchalance. “Sam, come on, what the hell are you doing?”

“If you’re not hurt, then show me,” he insists but doesn’t reach to touch you without your permission. It’s a line he won’t cross. 

“Is that an order, sir?” you snap.

“I’m not your superior,” he replies, even though he is, technically, but not when you’re alone. Not when you’re hurt. “I’m your friend. And right now my friend is in pain, I’d like to be able to do something about it.”

“Like what?” you ask, and it’s as exhausted as it is conflictive. Thunder rumbles outside the house and inside Sam’s chest, two storms coming in. “Huh, Sam? What are you gonna do? It’s part of the damned job. Don’t tell me you’re injury-free right now.”

Sam isn’t. Both old and newer scars put a heaviness on his body he’s not supposed to carry, but he’s not the one hiding right now. 

“I can hold you,” he offers and watches the way you look away, imagining the sting in your eyes as they glisten with sudden tears. You very visibly refuse to shed them, tightening your jaw and passing saliva like it’s gravel. “If you’d let me. Let’s not pretend we haven’t done it before.”

“It’s different now.”

“Why?” he wonders, brow furrowing. He does his best to relax his stance and reaches to touch your tight fists where they lay on your lap. With his fingertips barely there on your skin, the tension bleeds out of them like magic almost against your will. “Because I’m Captain America? Because you won’t tell me where you’re stationed half the time?”

“It’s–”

“Classified,” he finishes for you, unmoved. “But you’re still you, and I’m still me. As far as I’m aware, that doesn’t change a damned thing.”

You close your eyes like the words pain you, resolve crumbling right before Sam’s eyes. “I don’t wanna fight with you.”

“Then don’t,” from Sam’s perspective, it’s as simple as that. “Let me see. Let me be with you, please. The last week has been torture.”

You let out a breath of a laugh that’s a little too miserable. “You’re telling me,” you say, and the slope of your shoulders falls from its tense, defensive curve. Sam takes it as the green light it is.   

You stand straighter as he kneels in front of you, his hands hovering over the hem of your shirt. He looks to you for permission and you give him a tight nod, staring at the wall instead of him, gulping down your anxieties.

Sam’s breath catches when he lifts your shirt and sees your torso, skin showered in black, blue, purple, and green bruises. “Jesus.”

“It’s worse than it looks,” you say automatically. Sam can’t see how that’s true. It looks like it hurts to even breathe, it’s unbelievable how you were able to hide it from him for so long. “Nothing’s broken, I swear.”

“What the hell happened?” he asks even if he knows you can’t– or won’t– answer. You sigh, and he watches blemished skin shake with the effort it takes. 

“I’m alright,” you say instead of the answer he wants, but your voice has softened and lost all fight response. It’s the most vulnerable you’ve been with him since you arrived and it has nothing to do with showing your skin. “Hey, I’m okay. That assignment’s over for good. I’m not going back there, I promise.”

The sigh of relief Sam lets out is shaky and doesn’t relinquish all the tension he’s been carrying. The possibilities of what must’ve happened are gonna haunt him long after this mission’s over. 

“I hate it,” he says, and he knows you know what he means. Not knowing where you are, spending more than half the year apart with zero contact, this unease between you that doesn’t let you be honest. 

You say, tired. “I know. Sam–”

Sam isn’t touching you– not yet. He’s careful so there’s no skin-to-skin contact, and you look at him with guarded eyes when he lowers your shirt back into place, standing up and towering over you. 

“What?”

You breathe air out of your nose, frustrated. “You know.”

A beat. “You sure?” he says, as plainly as he can with the tension that’s grown between you pulling him forward.

“Yes.”

He hums.

“Oh. You gonna let me touch you now, then?” he asks, still under the excuse of medical purposes only. But Sam can’t help the way his voice deepens, molten like honey. His eyes trail over skin that isn’t blemished: the curve of your neck, the lines of your arms, the slope of your fingers. 

You shiver under the attention, helpless to hide such a reaction to his voice. “Mmm? Honey?”

“Fuck you,” you say automatically, already opening your legs slightly for Sam to slip in between them, reaching for your jaw. You close your eyes at the touch, sighing away whatever tension remained in you. 

You’re too fucking easy, despite the fight you insisted on going through before letting yourself be touched, and something in Sam’s belly tightens at the idea of it being just for him.

Sam’s hands remain on your jaw and throat as he tilts your head up for a kiss, slow and deep, lingering. It’s not long before you open up for him, his tongue sliding into your mouth like it was always meant to be there, coaxing a whine from you while you search for steadiness and settle your hands on his belt. Not pulling, not searching for more– not yet– but keeping him close. 

The storm comes and goes and the files in the studio remain forgotten. Sam finally gets you on the bed and, better yet, with him in it. 

He’s a little too careful, hands cupping your ribs with extreme caution after finally getting rid of your shirt for good and laying you down against the sheets. You roll your eyes fondly and grab onto his wrists to direct him where you want him. 

He doesn’t complain as he takes your directions. The man will greedily take anything you give him in calloused, expert hands as he does his best to pull sounds out of you that are music to his ears. 

After it’s over, you both lay in bed, naked and breathless. You find a new scar on him and trace the ragged line of skin gently with your fingertip, touch featherlight, almost nonexistent. It’s been over half a year since you last did this, but only a couple of months since he got himself injured and stitched up by Bucky in the Brazilian jungle. “This one’s new.”

It had been a quick job, good enough considering the circumstances, which is to say Sam now has an ugly, uneven scar a couple of inches above his hipbone that saved him from bleeding out on his partner.

The memory holds no gentleness, but your fingers do. The haze of his previous orgasm leaves Sam pliant under your touch, melted against the sheets and uncaring of your scrutiny. “Barnes?”

Sam makes an affirmative noise, a valid enough question since sometimes he’s admitted to doing patchwork on himself for the sake of the mission, uncaring of how bad it hurts as long as it’s quick and efficient.

“Did it hurt?”

“Like hell,” he admits, feeling safe enough to do so in the cocoon you’ve built for yourselves. Sam runs a hand up and down your naked back as if trying to soothe the brunt of the memory. “Did the job, though. Got us out alive.”

At that, you lean to kiss the skin, only slipping a bit of tongue into it. Sam sighs, ignoring the prick of discomfort that’s trying to crawl up his spine and leaning towards the softer, more tender sentiment that takes over him whenever you get like this. It’s not easy for him to accept such gentleness, to let himself be cared for and lay there, unable to give something back.

He will, in a minute. But he knows you like him like this, and that alone pins him down in his place to let you work. It’d be hypocritical of him, he thinks as his hips twitch with renowned interest, to not let you fret after him when his own worry is what got you here in the first place.

After you’re satisfied, you trail the path Sam’s grown accustomed to, the very same you follow every time you sleep together after a terribly long amount of time: 

The knife scar under his pec from when they were chasing after Bucky, still the Winter Solider, superficial enough not to have caused concern at the time. The mark from when he got his appendix out, thinking nothing of the stabbing aches to his belly until he was doubling over in his bed and waking up half his platoon as he retched in the bathroom.

The dot on his finger where Riley accidentally stabbed him with a pencil once, sleep deprived and with two shots of whiskey on him. The wound had healed with ease but the mark made a permanent home on his skin, barely visible unless you leaned in close enough to look for it.

The scab on his knee from falling off his bike when he was six. Sarah had screeched bloody murder until their parents came out of the house to see what all the fuss was about. The scar left behind by a bullet on his right shoulder during his second tour in Afghanistan. 

The cut on his lip he got shaving for the first time is always last on your list. Sam has long stopped calling you out on it, how convenient it was that the cataloging of his scars always ended with a thorough, slow kiss to his mouth that usually bloomed into a second round. 

He found that you got skittish when he did so, pulling back into yourself and laying tensely in bed for a couple more minutes before you started looking around for your clothes, called out.

Now Sam only cups your jaw, tugs a little so it opens your mouth and he can slip in his tongue and steal a taste of your sigh. He wants you like this for as long as possible; vulnerable, unguarded, desperate to touch him and be touched back. Safe enough to know that you never have to ask for something he wants to give you so willingly. 

You always forget. The second you meet again, you have to start the whole dance over. Fish for excuses to meet each other in the middle, hoping for new scars to lengthen your time together. 

Sam isn’t a masochist by any means, and he’s not an adrenaline junkie asshat who chases the danger just to have proof on his skin that he can take all the grievances life throws at him.

But. But–

“We’re alright,” you say against his mouth, body warm and seeking on top of his. He’s mindful of your injuries but can’t help himself, the urge to touch you overrules any other instinct he owns. It makes him weak, on the field, but happy off of it. “Aren’t we? We’re gonna be alright.”

“‘Course we are, honey,” his southern charm pops out and you’re both parts equally pleased and unamused, a funny expression on your face that has him laughing as he cups the back of your neck to bring you in for another kiss. “What? What’s with the face?”

“Nothin’, pumpkin,” you imitate his accent and Sam focuses his ministrations on your jaw and neck, trying to get you to break character. “We’re gonna be just fine, sugar plum. You’re sure lookin’ very pretty tonight, peach fuzz.”

Sam splutters out a laugh. “Peach fuzz?”

“That’s what you sound like!”

“See if I ever call you something nice ever again.”

“You can’t resist me,” you say seriously, though a smile keeps trying to break your facade. “You literally lasted five days before taking me to bed. That’s on being weak, Wilson.”

“Some might say it’s a world record for me, baby,” he says, poking at your face until you show teeth, happy and at ease in his arms. “The six months before that were a little bit of a stretch, too.”

Your mood dampens a little but Sam won’t let it, nudging his nose against yours to catch your attention again. “Hey. What did I just say? We’re gonna be alright. Five days, six months, five years, it’s nothing. They mean shit when I get to see you again.”

The mention of the Snap unguards you further. He’d been gone while you tried to keep your life together, ignoring the Sam-shaped void in your surroundings. The first time you got together after he came back had been tainted by the grief of losing three of the best people you’d ever known, and he’d done his own reconnaissance of your skin as he took in new scars, new hurts that had happened and healed while he was gone.

You smile again, but it’s softer, fonder, a tender tilt of the lips for the man you managed to find in this chaotic line of work that became your whole life.

In another five days, you’ll once more be on opposite ends of the world without any idea of when you’ll see each other again or what new marks you’ll have on your skin that describe your time apart. You haven’t even put a name to this– this relationship that both of you are still too hesitant to define as such, but that’s okay. 

It’s okay. It’s more than enough. The path of scars will be there to take when you meet again, permanent proof that you’ve survived to find the way to each other over and over and over again. The map that leads to you, every goddamn time.

___

hi!!!

hope you like this one! i’ve been putting this fic on the back burner for almost a month now, but i’m so glad to finally have finished it! i hope to put out the tommy miller sequel for dial drunk next week before school starts :)

thank you for reading, liking, reblogging, commenting, etc.!

<3

#sam wilson x reader #sam wilson #anthony mackie #marvel fanfic #reader insert #captain america x reader #captain america and the winter soldier #catws #bucky barnes #sebastian stan #joaquin torres #danny ramirez #falcon x reader #leo writes #sarah wilson #tfatws #the falcon and the winter soldier

[salmonskinrolltf]

Update & Marvel Frat Boy Story Commission

Hey everyone! So I've been incredibly busy, which is why I haven't been so active on here lately. I've been writing a book 👀 Not a TF book, but if this goes well then something like that could be next! However, that has prevented me from writing much TF stuff even though I have a lot of fun ideas. In the meantime, I commissioned @writer-ofstuff to write a sequel to this story about Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man being exposed to a gas that turns them into frat bros. I've attached that story below, so I hope you enjoy!

Bucky is worried about Steve. It wasn't like his friend to not answer his messages this long. He knew Steve had some sort of meeting at Stark Tower. He told Bucky as much in his last message to him. Followed up with him saying he'd see Bucky later. That was almost four days ago, and Bucky has had radio silence from Steve since.

Bucky at first thought the Avengers had been summoned for some kind of mission. However he had checked with Sam, and Sam hadn't heard of anything either. This is what prompted Bucky to go to Stark Tower himself to see if he can figure out where Steve is.

He was a little apprehensive since he and Tony don't have a good relationship. Given what Bucky had done to Tony's parents when he was brainwashed, it was understandable for Tony not to want to be around Bucky.

Bucky takes a deep breath and enters through the front doors of Stark Tower. Reaching the elevator he startles when he hears this strange swoosh noise coming a few feet behind him. A man steps through the portal that had appeared there. The man is wearing unique attire with a red cape that Bucky swears moves on its own as if it waved at him. But surely that was just the uptick of wind from the portal as it closed behind the man.

"Are you here for someone as well?" The man asks.

"I'm looking for my friend. Steve Rogers." Bucky answers.

"Ah, Captain America's friend. The Winter Soldier, correct?" the man then asks.

Bucky recoils a little at the name, a few flashes of the awful things he had done under that name. But he is quick to compose himself.

"Bucky is fine." He tells the guy.

"Dr. Stephen Strange." The guy introduces.

'Oh so this is the sorcerer guy Steve talked about.' Bucky thinks to himself.

That should have been an easy guess given the guy's flashy entrance. 

"So why are you here?" Bucky asks.

"Stark was supposed to contact me the other day needing my assistance with something." Dr. Strange continues."But I was dealing with a prior engagement and couldn't answer his call. After a few days of nothing I decided to check in and see what he needed myself."

Bucky makes a noise of acknowledgement in reply, since he isn't sure what to say to that. It does make him question if something had happened to them then, since Tony had contacted Dr. Strange around the time Steve had come here. The elevator doors open and Bucky goes to step inside. But Dr. Strange stops him before he can. 

"No need for that. I have a faster way to get to the top,” He says. 

Dr. Strange opens another portal, the orange circle showing the upper floor of Stark Tower in its center.

"Why didn't you teleport yourself there first instead of the main lobby?" Bucky can't help but ask.

He and Dr. Strange step through the portal to the upper floor of Stark Tower. Before Dr. Strange can explain his reasoning, both men pause at the mess they find on the top floor of the tower.

"Jeez it looks like someone threw a party up here." Dr. Strange says.

It’s true, the place was a mess with cans of soda, beer, and pizza boxes. Not to mention work out equipment was also strung around the room, as well as some dirty clothing.

"I haven't seen a room this messy since I had to visit the frat house at my college." Dr. Strange notes.

"I wonder who made this mess, and where Steve and the others are." Bucky says.

It’s perplexing since Steve wasn't the type to make such a mess. He doesn't know Tony well, but he assumes that Tony wouldn't want his place this junked up. Thor, from what Bucky had been told, would seem to be the one to make such a mess like this. But the question is, did he do this or was it someone else's handiwork?

It is baffling to say the least, and it leaves Bucky still confused as to where Steve is. He is lost in his thoughts as he surveys the room, seeing if he can't find any sort of clues. He pauses when he sees something emitting from one of the air vents. 

It looks like a plume of gas? But it is this sorta vibrant almost neon color which he has never seen. He does know of course that it could be dangerous, and he is already moving toward the door, shouting for Dr. Strange that they need to get out of there.

However more of the gas somehow makes its way to the entrance and blocks it, leaving the two man trapped in the room with the unknown gas.

"I got this,” Dr. Strange says with confidence. 

He moves his hands, doing a few characters with them as two portals then open up in front of and behind him and Bucky. A wind current sucks the gas into the portals and moments later, the gas is cleared from the room before it could reach either man. 

“Impressive, huh bro?" Dr. Strange says as he looks at Bucky.

"Did you just call me bro?" Bucky asks. 

He doesn't know Strange, but he seemed the type of man not to have the word “bro” in his vocabulary. Dr. Strange looks just as confused as Bucky.

"Yeah, I don't know why though." He mutters.

"No big deal my dude." Bucky blurts without thinking. 

He pauses when he hears what he just said. Dr. Strange gives him a similar look. 

"Bro, what's up with how we're talkin’ man?" Bucky says. 

“Somethin' ain't right here dude." Dr. Strange says. 

He looks angry over how he’s talking. It’s clear that neither man can control how they speak. 

"Ugh. This is infiera.. infirea… this is fucking dumb!" Dr. Strange settles on saying. It becomes clear he couldn't pronounce the word he wanted to say.

Bucky agrees, it must have been that weird gas they got rid of. That was the only explanation on what could make them talk like a pair of douchebag dude bros. 

Bucky wants to suggest they get out of here, but his head starts to ache. He feels himself sway on his feet. He doesn't understand why he’s feeling so airheaded. It is so hard to focus his thoughts on what to do exactly in this situation. 

Bucky is so caught up with his thoughts he doesn't notice the way his body is steadily altering underneath his clothing. His muscles are losing some bulk to them, to become a lot more defined, showing a body he has gained through workouts rather than intense training. 

The scars from various fights slowly fade to unblemished skin. The most drastic change he undergoes, which makes him take notice, is his arm. The vibranium arm slowly attaches more to Bucky's torso. The metal softens while it gradually turns into a real arm. Bucky looks at his now real arm, clenching and unclenching his fist, staring at it in astonishment.

"Bro, my arm." He says softly.

"Uhh yeah man, that's your arm. Now can we focus here?" Dr. Strange snaps.

"Huh? Focus on what?" Bucky asks, a little dumbfounded about what his friend means.

Stephen opens and closes his mouth, a frown forming on his face. 

"I don't remember,” he says.

That makes both men erupt in laughter. Bucky points out the outfit his friend is wearing.

"Dude, a bit earlier for Halloween yeah?" He asks.

"I don't know what this getup even is man,” Stephen admits.

He strips out of his clothing, getting down to just his briefs. Now that he is mostly naked, it’s easy to see how his body too has gained some muscle on it, as well as a decent amount of body hair spread along his upper torso. Stephen runs his hand over his chest absent-mindedly. 

The gray hairs in his hair and goatee regain his natural hair color. His mature face smooths away any wrinkles the Sorcerer Supreme had, giving him a more youthful look of a man in his twenties. Stephen's goatee starts to shave down, a heavy five o'clock shadow spreading along his jaw and his cheeks, while Stephen's hair shrinks back into his scalp a good bit, leaving the former Sorcerer Supreme with a buzz style haircut. 

Bucky watches Stephen's changes with a strange fascination. He wants to speak up and warn his bro what was going on, yet all he can do is watch the transformation unfold. Being distracted like he is by Stephen, Bucky fails to notice how his own changes are progressing. 

He shrinks a few inches in height, his own torso itching as bristles of dark colored hair sprout along his formerly clean shaven torso. The pelt of body hair is much thicker than Stephen's. Bucky's scruff also grows denser until he sports a well trimmed beard. His face then smooths over any wrinkles and signs of aging to give him a more youthful look. Bucky now looks like a man in his twenties, just like Stephen. 

The two men crack lopsided smiles at each other while their minds quickly alter, Stephen forgetting his training and everything he accomplished as a top surgeon as well as the Sorcerer Supreme. Bucky forgets his past trauma from being tortured and used as a killing machine. The two young men have a fresh start as their new selves as the gas's effects dwindle down to completion. 

"Bro, where do you think Steve and the others are?" Bucky asks.

"Miss your boyfriend already?" Stephen teases.

Bucky gives him a playful shove, the two rough housing as the doors open and their bros came waltzing in.

"There you two are."

"Was wondering where you two slowpokes had gone off too."

"Yeah bros, you missed a hell of a party!” Steve was the last to say, coming up to stand beside his bro Bucky. Stephen meanwhile joins Thor and Tony. The three talk about the next game while Steve and Bucky do their own thing.

None of the frat brothers notice the computer in the back of the room, the screen being covered up in discarded clothing that hid the blinking incoming message icon.

#personal #Marvel #frat

[adulting-sucks]

Captain Asshat Lives Here

Summary: You saved Steve, however he is living up to being America’s Asshat. Will you two ever get along? A slow burn

Steve Rogers x Female Enhanced Reader

Warnings: 18+ please. Smut (oral m and f receiving, p in v, fingers galore), mentions of Rape and forced loss of pregnancy, torture, and kind of mean Steve.

Word count: 8.5 K, I’m sorry that I have no chill

I have to thank @peyton-warren , who has helped me get this out of my brain and onto this page, and for betaing this multiple times for me. You are a godsend, you’ve helped me more than you know. Story is under the cut.

Next Part: Where There's a Bucky, There's an Asshat

You ran, blood dripping from the stab wound in your leg, trying to lose the asshole chasing you through the trees. Steve fucking Rogers just couldn’t leave well enough alone, and now he cost you this Hydra base, along with a pint of blood. He wasn’t even aware of your presence until you saved his ass from the knife. You’re welcome, you thought, your lungs burning from lack of oxygen.

You heard the shield before you saw it, dodging and rolling to the side just in time. What the fuck was wrong with him? Why was he going after you when you clearly weren’t the enemy? If you ever saw Bucky again, you were going to have a long talk about his choice in friends and colleagues.

You started to feel light headed, you blood pressure suddenly plunging. You looked down at your wound, the blood seeping out even faster, the wound now torn even more, most likely from the stop, drop, and roll you just did. You tried applying more pressure to your wound, tearing a strip of your shirt off the bottom to tie around it. You looked up, Rogers standing over you, telling you not to move.

“Fuck. One of you is bad enough, three of you is a fucking nightmare,” you reply just before passing out. Steve stooped down, applying a pressure wrap to your wound while calling for an extraction. He looked down at you, wondering why you saved him. He didn’t know who you were, but he was sure as hell going to find out.

————————————————————

“What have we got, Captain Rogers, and since when do you bring home strays ?” Doc asked, meeting Steve at the bay doors to help transport you to the emergency med bay. Sam and Clint pushed the bed you were cuffed to past Steve and Doc as he gave her the rundown.

“She’s got a large stab wound to her leg. I tried to put as much pressure on it as possible, but it’s pretty deep. She lost consciousness before I got her on the jet. I have no idea who she is, but that knife was meant for me and she took the hit,” Steve said, staring at you with curiosity and distrust.

“Let me take a look at her and see what were dealing with” Doc said, removing the pressure dressing as she stared at your wounded leg. “Holy fuck. Captain, I thought you and Buck were the only super soldiers left after Zemo cleared the rest out.” She pulled the pressure wrap off, finding a semi healed wound, the skin pink and raised on the outside, the gash already connected and healing with new tissue.

“We are, why do you ask?” Steve responded, apprehension written all over his features. He stopped the conversation he was having with Sam and Clint and came over to the side of the bed Doc was on.

“I ask because her wound is almost completely healed. The knife clipped her femoral artery, she should have bled out long before now.” Doc looked you over from head to toe, seeing if there were any other wounds she may have missed. You had a few scattered bruises, but those looked almost completely healed.

“Who the hell is she, and what the fuck is going on?” Steve asked himself, trying to figure out what your place in all of this was. As Doc was checking your pupillary reflex, Steve texted Bucky to head down to the med bay immediately.

“What’s so important, Steve? Wizard and I were just in the middle of something,” Bucky said as he entered the room. “Hey beautiful,” Bucky murmured, kissing Doc on the forehead.

“Hey handsome,” Doc replied, stopping to smile at her soldier. “Are we still for dinner and dancing tonight?”

“Since when does Rusty Bucket know how to dance?” Sam said, causing Clint and Doc to laugh. Bucky shot a warning glance at Sam and threw the closest object to him, a bedpan, at the bird man’s head.

“I’ll have you know I’m an excellent dancer, right Steve?” Bucky defended, twirling Doc under his arm before dipping her back and placing a kiss on her neck.

“Yeah, fantastic. Can we get back to work please?” Steve retorted, his gaze focused on you. “Bucky, were there any other super soldiers Zemo may have missed?” Steve turned to face his friend, concern etched in his features.

“All work and no play makes Steve a dull boy,” Clint teased as he made his way out of the room before Steve could reprimand him. Sam followed suit, twirling and bowing to Bucky as the metal hand flipped Sam the bird.

“Not that I know….holy fuck. Steve, where did you find her?” Bucky asked urgently, moving to your bedside. “It can’t be, she died,” he said to himself.

————————————————————

You slowly opened your eyes, the bright lights of the room harsh, the sound of the heart monitor steady, starting to speed up the more conscious you became, your fight or flight kicking in when you realized you were restrained. You had worked too hard for this to happen again, you would die before letting Hydra experiment on you again.

“Hey, hey, relax. It’s Bucky, you’re going to hurt yourself.” You had started thrashing, unable to hear anything above your heart pounding in your ears. You felt hands grab you, making you fight even more.

“GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF ME!” you screamed, kicking Steve in the face since your legs weren’t restrained. “YOU BETTER FUCKING KILL ME THIS TIME! I WON’T LET YOU DO THIS TO ME AGAIN!”

“What the fuck?!” Steve yelled, rubbing his jaw where your foot connected. He looked in your eyes where he saw nothing but anger and fear. Who were you yelling at, and what did they do to you? The only other person he had seen react this way was Bucky when he was still the Winter Soldier.

“Okay, that’s it. Everyone except Bucky get out,” Doc demanded for your benefit as you struggled like a wild animal. When you heard Doc say Bucky, you looked to your side, your face flooding with recognition and relief. Bucky moved to remove your restraints while Doc cleared the room.

“Are you seriously removing her restraints? She just kicked me in the face!” Steve yelled, shaking Doc off as he watched Bucky.

“Can’t say it wasn’t deserved,” Doc mumbled as she once again ordered Steve out. He finally turned and left, making his concerns known the entire time.

“Bucky, where am I? Did they get us again? I thought you got out,” you said, reaching out to touch his face as if to make sure he was real. It was a ritual between the two of you during your time with Hydra. Bucky reached out and touched your face also, confirming he was in fact real.

“I did, I got out and got better, all because of you,” he said, tears falling freely down his face. “They told me you were dead. I looked for you, but when there was no trace, I buried you.”

“I had to die to make them stop. Did you make it to Wakanda?? I reached out to Shuri when I heard you were out. I knew she would be the only one who could help you,” you replied, dropping your hands from Bucky’s face, your eyes moving to Doc, anxiety instantly rising at the sight of the stranger.

“That was you?” Bucky quietly asked, moving closer to Doc to show you could trust her. “I made it. I am no longer Soldat. I also got a fucking goat and new arm out of the deal too,” he chuckled. Your eyes drifted back to him, then back to Doc. Your heart healed just a little when you saw the love shine in Doc’s eyes as she looked at her super soldier.

“This is Doc, she is the doctor on staff here and also my girl,” Bucky said as a way of introduction between the two of you. “Is it okay if she takes a look at you, just to make sure you’re okay and healed correctly?” Bucky asked.

You looked over at Doc, appreciative of her allowing you to move at your own pace. You nodded your head, throwing a tentative smile her way as she moved closer.

“How did you end up in the same area as Steve?” Bucky asked as Doc listened to your lungs and heart. She then flashed the penlight in your eyes, making you wince.

“You mean Captain Asshat?” you replied, irritated by the mere mention of him. “I was following up on a lead for that Hydra base, and Asshat got in the way. I fucking got stabbed for him and he couldn’t even be bothered to say think you.” You pulled your pants back up while Bucky and Doc laughed at your colorful description of their friend, knowing just how uptight and stubborn he could be.

“He’s not that bad, he just doesn’t trust easily, especially with anything that has to do with Hydra,” Bucky advised, even more amused when you rolled your eyes and started pouting. He knew you and Steve were pretty much the same person and couldn’t wait to see how this turned out.

“Whatever. I’m just saying, a thank you for taking a hit never hurt anyone.” Doc laughed as she finished up, amused not only by your commentary, but also at seeing the anger on Steve’s face as he walked in and overheard you.

“Why would I thank you? I didn’t ask you to do anything for me,” Steve answered, irritation lacing his reply which earned him another eye roll, completely exaggerated to anger him further. You looked at Bucky, whispering for him not to say anything to Steve about you. Not yet at least, as you didn’t fully trust Asshat either.

“Doc, when you clear her, I need her for questioning,” Steve said, ignoring your theatrics. Bucky sat smiling, loving that Steve was getting a run for his money. You stuck your tongue out at the Captain behind his back, immediately plastering a fake smile on your face when Steve turned around trying to figure out what was so funny to Bucky.

“I’d like to keep her overnight, even though she’s already healed, just as a precaution. If she’s up to it and agrees, you may speak with her tomorrow,” Doc answered, knowing how pushy Steve could be when working. You shot Doc a look of appreciation for treating you like a human and not a prisoner.

Steve wasn’t happy with her reply, but he knew better than to argue with the good doctor. He’d made that mistake one time, and only one time after he questioned her treatment of Bucky after a particularly difficult and dangerous mission. He then had to deal with Bucky when he regained consciousness and was informed by Doc of what had transpired. Nope, he would not do that again. He may be stubborn, but he did not have a death wish.

“Fine, she can rest tonight.” Steve conceded. He turned and walked away, his face red, features skewed with agitation.

“How considerate of you, Captain Asshat. I will forever be indebted to you for this kindness,” you mocked, sarcasm dripping from every word spoken. You bowed to Steve, laughing when he stopped walking and looked at you, rage turning his face red.

“Why are you like this?” Steve asked, his jaw clenched, hands balled into fists as he stared at you. “I did you a favor bringing you here, you should have a little more consideration and class.”

“Okay, put the claws away,” Bucky grumbled, moving between the two of you before any physical fighting could start. “As much as this amuses me, you two are going to have to try and get along.” Bucky pushed Steve out the med bay doors, nodding his head as he listened to his oldest friend vent about you.

Doc chuckled, extremely amused by the fact that you and Steve were perfect for each other, you just hadn’t realized it yet. “Come on, there’s an extra room on my floor where you can clean up and get some sleep. I’ll have Bucky bring you some clothes to change into.”

You and Doc talked a little, typical small talk, getting to know you questions, until you reached the floor. As Doc led you to your room, she turned around and said “He isn’t as bad as you think he is. Steve is actually very kind, and he cares for everyone with a big, open heart. Be gentle with him. His heart is fragile.” She turned and walked to her apartment, leaving you to your thoughts. Maybe she was right, maybe you were being too hard on Asshat. You would stop eventually, but right now it was just too entertaining.

————————————————————

It started the way it always did. The flashbacks of torture, experiments performed with no anesthesia, the mind erasure performed anytime you let even a hint of non compliance slip through, the tortured screams of Bucky, your only friend and comfort during these moments. You heard screaming, thinking this was just part of the nightmare, not realizing this was actually you screaming as you slept.

You felt Bucky before you heard him, his grip on your shoulders tight as he tried to wake you. “Hey, hey, come back. It’s a nightmare, come back,” he yelled, trying to make you hear him above your own piercing screams.

Doc slapped you across your cheek, purely to shock your system and bring you out of your nightmare. You opened your eyes, sweat pouring down your face, your eyes taking a minute to focus on the people in front of you.

“I’m…I’m so sorry,” you said, trying to catch your breath, your heart pounding in your chest. You wiped the sweat from your forehead, and swallowed a deep breath. Your entire body was trembling, almost as if you had a fever and your body was chilled.

“Hey. It’s just the nightmares, remember?” Bucky asked, pulling your hands to rest on his cheeks to show you he was real. You nodded your head, inhaling, exhaling, allowing the nightmare to end.

“Come on. Bucky has Wizard for moments just like this,” Doc said, walking towards the door. Bucky smiled reassuringly, holding his hand out to help you up.

“Wizard?” You followed apprehensively yet curious. “What the fuck is a Wizard and why do you have one?” you say softly, talking to yourself out loud. You see Doc open the door, and when you hear Wizard bleat, you can’t help the squeal that escapes your throat.

“Holy shit. You really do have a fucking goat!” you exclaim, dropping to your knees as Wizard throws his head into your hands. You instantly feel relaxed, the tension slipping out of your body as you pet the goat. “Shuri always did love her goats.” You chuckle as Wizard starts to nibble on your hair, his tongue running up the side of your face.

“Did she try to send you home with one too?” Bucky asked, doubled over in laughter. Doc sat on the other side of Wizard, who turned around and nuzzled the other woman affectionately.

“She tried, but I had other plans. I told her as soon as I had completed my mission, I would come back and take one home with me, wherever that ends up being.” The three of you were so wrapped up in Wizard and sharing memories of Wakanda, you missed a certain Captain standing down the hall.

Steve had heard the screams, thinking Bucky was having one of his nightmares, which he hadn’t had since Doc came into his life. He then feared your sudden appearance had triggered the nightmares again, and assumed this little meeting was Doc comforting Bucky.

Steve wanted to stay and listen, his distrust of you growing stronger every time you talked back or acted like a brat. And he was most definitely not an Asshat. As he felt his blood pressure rise, he decided to head to the gym to blow off some steam. He stopped when he heard Bucky’s voice, but didn’t feel right listening in on his friend.

“So, do you want to talk about them?” Bucky asked softly, concern etched in his handsome features. You refused to look at him, scared your emotions would explode, making you weaker than you already were. No. You didn’t want to talk. Wizard sensed your anxiety, moving to sit on your lap, like a dog, and eat your socks. It was oddly comforting, allowing you to relax.

“It was bad after you left, Bucky. They knew I had helped you escape and they made me pay.” You tried your best to harden your emotions, emotions made you weak, but even you couldn’t stop the tears from falling. With Doc on your left, Wizard in your lap, and Bucky in front, you started to tell your story.

“Every day was a new form of torture. They tried to give me powers the way they did with the Maximoff twins, but nothing ever worked. When they failed, I would be beaten. It ranged from punching to electrocution and drowning. There was one guard assigned to watch me every night. And every night, he did more than watch.” You stopped, unable to say the word. Even now, you couldn’t escape the trauma of what he did to you.

“Well, I ended up in a family way, and Hydra wasn’t happy. They stopped the growth, removing the offending part, no anesthesia or care given. Once I’d stopped bleeding, they decided to to try a new brand of torture: asphyxiation. They would squeeze until my heart and breathing stopped, only to bring me back with electrical shocks.” You gazed down at Wizard, unable to look Bucky or Doc in the eye. This was the first time you’d ever spoken about what happened, and it would also be the last.

“They let me escape, not knowing I’d been training myself to slow my heartbeat for as long as possible. If they thought I was dead, they would be done with me. And it worked. After I they threw my body out, I ran as fast as I could, trying to reach any of my old contacts for help. I managed to reach one, and he got me to Shuri. Shuri broke whatever hold Hydra had, but she couldn’t reverse the serum. I’m okay with that now, I think it saved my life. I started taking them down, until Asshat got in the way.”

Bucky looked at you, knowing better than to show any pity. You weren’t weak, you weren’t defenseless, and he was nothing but proud of you and amazed by you. Doc quietly cried in the corner, trying to hide as she didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.

“It’s okay, Doc. I cried my tears a long time ago. I’m okay.” Wizard bleated, sensing the need for a break in the tension. Everyone laughed, you dropping a pet and kiss on the little goat’s head. “On that note, I’m going for a run before Cap comes for me.” You got up and waved to the others, heading to your room to change and leave. A run would do you some good, hopefully clearing your head before the Dapper Douche came to collect you.

“How long do you think it will take these idiots to see they are perfect for each other?” Doc asked Bucky, laying her head on his shoulder as she pet Wizard. She heard Bucky’s chuckle rumble in his chest as he dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

“They are the most stubborn people I have ever met, so I’m assuming it will hit them like a bulldozer at the worst possible moment.”

Bucky stood up and offered his hands to Doc to help her up. “I am quite wired though, so maybe I’ll head to the gym and burn off some of this energy,” Bucky said as he walked back to their shared apartment.

“I have a way for you to burn off some energy, Sergeant,” Doc replied, pulling her super soldier towards their bedroom. “Not only will it be cardio, but we’ll also work those core muscles.” Bucky’s laughter carried down the hall as the couple shut themselves in for their workout.

————————————————————

You’d just walked into the kitchen, fresh from your ten mile run, stopping at the fridge to grab something to drink. You heard footsteps behind you, and an all too familiar sigh. With a roll of your eyes, you turned around to face the very annoyed captain.

“What did I do now, Captain Ass?” you asked, your smile fake and plastered so wide, your wisdom teeth were visible.

“Can you start a conversation without insults?” he asked, his distaste written all over his face. “I saved your life, you could be a little grateful.”

“Oh, yes, you’re right. Let me try this again. Thank you so much for getting in my way, forcing me to take a stab for you because you weren’t paying attention. Thank you for kidnapping me then treating me like an enemy as I lay unconscious. And thank you for making me feel so incredibly fucking welcome with your questions. Did I cover everything?” you asked, taking a drink from your bottle of water, thrilled at the anger twisting over Steve’s face, his cheeks red.

“Why should I trust you? I never asked you to save me. You were at a fucking Hydra base, but I’m supposed to believe you aren’t on their side?” Steve yelled, causing you to flinch.

“You don’t know anything about me, Captain,” you replied, anger in your voice, your body starting to shake. You curled your hands into fists at your side, your nails creating bloody craters in your palms. You felt your blood pressure rise, heat flushing your entire body.

“You’re right, I don’t. Let’s be honest, you haven’t been very forthcoming either. And that makes me think you work for Hydra, that your ‘sweet’ demeanor is just a means to an end, just like your ‘friendship’ with Bucky!”

Steve moved closer, causing you to step back until you were trapped between him and the wall, one arm on each side of your head. You started to feel the familiar panic start at not being able to escape, your heart pounding, vision blurring with tears. “Back. Off.” you said, jaw clenched so hard your teeth were grinding.

“Why? So you can run and tell everyone how the mean old Captain yelled at you? Tell me what the fuck you’re doing here, and maybe I’ll back off. Otherwise, we can head to a cell and you can stay there until you’re ready to tell the truth,” Steve sneered, ecstatic at your reaction. Steve thought he was making you angry, so angry you might slip up, not realizing you were actually terrified.

“No, please. Don’t lock me up,” you said, your voice strained and quiet. You didn’t know you were crying until you felt the tears run down your neck, landing on the back of your hands. “Can’t be locked up again…please, please move,” you whispered, pushing on Steve’s chest. Even with your super strength, you had a hard time moving the man. When you couldn’t get free, you dropped to the floor, your knees pulled up to your chest as you rocked back and forth repeating nonsense.

“What the fuck kind of game are you playing?” Steve yelled, grabbing your arm to force you to stand. You pulled your arm out of his grasp, screaming for him to leave you alone. With a wild look in your eyes, you beat your fists on his chest yelling for him to move, to stop, to never touch you again.

“What the hell is going on in here?” Doc yelled as she ran into the room. “Steve, what the fuck are you doing? Back off, now!” Doc demanded, grabbing your arms and turning you to look at her. It took a moment, but once you realized Doc was the one touching you, you stopped fighting, immediately breaking down as she hugged you.

“What in the entire fuck is wrong with you? Bucky, you better come get Rogers before I knock his ass out!” Doc yelled to the Sergeant, steering you towards her med bay.

“You couldn’t just leave her alone? You had to push and push. You have no idea what she has been through, Steve. No fucking clue!” Bucky reprimanded. “What Hydra did to me doesn’t even scratch the surface of what they did to her!”

“Wait, she was a prisoner? Like you?” Steve asked, rubbing the back of his neck and dropping his eyes in shame. He’d had no idea, hadn’t even bothered to give you a chance to explain. “Bucky, tell me what the fuck is going on here. Who is this woman?” Bucky started to tell Steve about your time together when he was the Winter Soldier, how you defended him, helped him escape, how you were tortured and raped, left for dead. He explained that Wakanda had been your doing, and how if you hadn’t been there, he never would have been released from Hydra’s control.

Steve’s face drained of all color as Bucky continued. How could he have been so blind? You weren’t the bad guy, you were trying to erase Hydra, saving his life was because you were on the same side, not because you had an ulterior motive. “Fuck, Bucky. What have I done?” Steve said, completely embarrassed and regretful. He’d never acted this way towards anyone before, but he’d treated you no better than Hydra had. He was so ashamed and angry.

“You need to make this right, Steve,” Bucky said as he walked away, heading towards the lab to check on you. Steve moved to the living room, sinking down on the couch, trying to figure out how to make things right. He’d never been so wrong before, so judgemental. He of all people, knew what it was like to be judged and bullied, yet here he was, acting every bit the bully. Bucky was right, he had to fix this, no matter what. He decided to go for a to clear his head and come up with an apology.

————————————————————

When Doc got you into the med bay, you were completely incoherent and in shock, suffering a panic attack from Rogers badgering. Doc pulled up two milligrams of Ativan, giving you the injection in your left ass cheek to help calm you down. Fucking Steve Rogers. While she loved him, she also knew how stubborn he could be, especially with someone he saw as a threat to those he loved.

You closed your eyes and slipped into unconsciousness, the medication taking immediate effect. Bucky walked in to check on you, relief flooding him immediately as he saw you sedated. He asked Doc how you were, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head.

Doc let loose a stream profanities and threats, ending with one Steven Grant Rogers being neutered if his attitude didn’t change immediately. Bucky laughed, falling even more in love with his girl.

“I know he means well, that he’s protecting those he cares about, but she is a victim and he treated her like a criminal. She did nothing to him, NOTHING!” Doc screamed, tears streaming down her face.

“I know, sweet girl, I know. I talked to him. He knows now, and he looked devastated. He knows he was acting out of character. I don’t think he’s figured out why, though,” Bucky said.

“Well, he better figure it out soon if he wants to keep his balls,” Doc grumbled. “Speaking of the fucking devil,” she said as Steve entered the med bay.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Steve said, holding his hands up in surrender. “White flag. I fucked up, I know it. Can I sit with her?” Steve asked quietly, looking over at you. He didn’t know how he was going to fix this, he just knew he had to try. He sat in the chair on the side of the bed, his head in his hands. Steve had no idea what had gotten into him.

“You upset her, even the tiniest bit, I will remove your balls and shove them so far up your ass, your mouth will get pregnant,” Doc warned as Bucky pulled her out of the room, unable to hold back his laughter. A threat from Doc was like a hiss from a spicy, cute kitten. Steve grabbed your hand and rested his forehead on it, waiting for you to wake up.

————————————————————

Your hand felt warm, very warm and very heavy. Why was your hand so warm and the rest of you chilled? Why couldn’t you move your hand? Why couldn’t you open your eyes? Something squeezed your hand causing you to squeeze it back.

“Hi.” You slowly opened your eyes, trying to turn your head towards the source, your head foggy from the medication. As your eyes started to focus on those annoying baby blues, you tried pulling your hand away.

Steve squeezed your hand again, begging you to stop and listen. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but I am so sorry.” He grabbed your other hand, enveloping both of yours in his, his eyes pleading with you. You nodded your head, allowing him to continue.

“I don’t know what came over me, and I know that is no excuse. I cannot apologize nearly enough for my behavior. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I’m hoping you and I can start over.” He raised those puppy dog eyes, sincerity shining through.

“Bucky told you, didn’t he?” you said, unable to hold eye contact. You were familiar with what pity looked like and you didn’t want it from anyone, but especially not from Steve. You weren’t sure why, but you wanted him to see you as strong, not weak and broken. “You don’t need to pity me, I’ve made it this far.”

He squeezed your hands again. “Hey, look at me. I don’t pity you, not at all. I think you are amazing. You are strong, resilient, and if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have my best friend with me right now.” As he stared at you, he couldn’t help but blush from embarrassment at his admission. He dropped your hands, rubbing the back of his neck, anxiously waiting for you to speak.

“I forgive you, Asshat. And I’m sorry too. I just had way too much fun pushing your buttons…”

“Well, I guess I’ll leave you alone…”

You both looked at each other as you spoke at the same time. “You…you don’t have to leave, you know, if you want to talk or something,” you offered, trying to spend more time with this infuriating man. Who you noticed had amazing eyes, wonderful arms, hands that you wanted running over every inch of your body…oh, what the fuck was happening to you.

Steve sat back down, smiling at the invitation to stay. He never noticed how pretty your eyes were, never noticed how your hair enhanced the color even more. Your neck was so inviting, and he found himself wanting to kiss and nip down to your collarbone, over your breasts. He stopped, his eyes moving back to your face, scared that he’d been caught checking you out like a teenager.

You both turned at the sound of the med bay door opening, glad for the interruption as both of your minds had started going down a different road.

“Is the war over?” you heard Bucky ask, slowly walking in just in case anything went flying. Bucky knew your temper and also knew your habit of throwing objects at peoples heads when angry. Bucky took in the scene around him, looking at both you and Steve, expressions on both of your faces flustered and embarrassed. He smiled very wide when he realized just what he’d interrupted.

“I’m going to head to my room…”

“I need to go see what Sam is up to…” you and Steve said at the same time as you walked away.

Doc walked in just as you two left, asking Bucky how things were going in here, checking to see if any of the equipment would need replacing. Bucky just smiled, wrapping his arms around Doc and kissing her neck. “I think they’re finally figuring it out,” he chuckled as he led you out of the room.

————————————————————

“What the fuck is happening to me?” you asked Wizard, feeding the goat a slice of apple, while he stared at you. “I know, I know, I’m a moron.” You continued your conversation, completely unaware that Steve was standing right outside the door.

Steve stood listening to your commentary, smiling to himself. He’d just been having this conversation with himself, making the decision to talk to you about whatever was happening. He didn’t know exactly when his feelings began to shift; if he was being completely honest, you’d been on his mind since he met you. You stepped in front of a knife for him, you challenged him at every turn and never backed down, and you had a strength about you that was so quiet yet so powerful.

“He wouldn’t see me in the same light I do him, not after someone like Peggy Carter. Or hell, even Sharon. I most definitely do not compare to women of that stature. No one wants the broken box of crayons.” You giggled as Wizard nibbled your cheek, trying to get more apples from you. “Okay, maybe you would want the broken crayons because they probably all taste the same.”

“Is that what you honestly believe? That I see you as broken?” Steve asked, walking into the room and kneeling to pet Wizard. He looked at your face, staring into your eyes, trying to ascertain your true thoughts. You dropped your gaze, shame and embarrassment flooding your body.

“Were you eavesdropping, Asshat?” You held another slice of apple out to your furry friend, needing his comfort for this conversation as vulnerability was never your strongest moment. You rarely allowed yourself the chance to be in this position, never wanting to be seen as weak in the eyes of those around you. You may be a super soldier, but it didn’t stop your insecurities.

“Is that what you think? You honestly think I see you as broken?” Steve asked, grasping your chin to make you look at him, ignoring the chomps Wizard was bestowing on his shirt.

“You are resilient, selfless, a pain in the fucking ass, sarcastic, but above all, you’re just you,” Steve continued, his bright blues shining with honesty. You tried to look away, suddenly shy, your discomfort fading into something else.

You looked at Steve’s lips, then back to his eyes, slowly finding yourself leaning in closer unintentionally.

Steve started leaning in also, slowly closing his eyes as both your faces inched closer and closer, your heart beating so loudly, you know he heard it. To be fair, you could also hear his, enhanced hearing and all.

Just as your lips touched, as you felt his breath fanning your mouth, so close you could taste the mint from his toothpaste…just as you finally kissed this pain in your ass, Wizard popped between you two, nibbling on your cheek, then turning to do the same to Steve’s nose.

You both laughed, doubling over as Wizard continued to yell for attention and food. With tears streaming down your face, you turned to see Doc and Bucky standing in the doorway, amusement all around. You looked back at Steve, placing your hands on his cheek, your forehead pressed to his, needing to reassure yourself of him being there, just as you did with Bucky.

“Thank you for being real,” you whispered.

————————————————————

The next few weeks were something you’d never experienced: calm and peaceful. You and Steve spent a lot of time getting to know each other, going for runs, watching TV, working out, sparring. Your feelings blossomed, but the best thing about the entire situation is how he was willing to go at your pace.

After everything that had happened, your assault and the events that followed mainly, you didn’t know if you’d ever feel desire again, especially sexually. Although you knew it wasn’t your fault, it still made you feel as if you were less than, leading to feeling broken. But Steve put you back together, sealing your cracks and pieces with twenty four karat gold, like the Japanese did with their valuables, proving nothing is ever truly broken. Some cracks just need to be filled and brought together.

Everything was so great and you were finally happy, which is why the lie hurt you so much. It was a small lie, maybe more of a hidden truth, but it cut deep nonetheless.

You’d just finished your morning run, and headed to the kitchen to grab some water when you heard the conversation. You stopped, not wanting the other two super soldiers to hear you, or sense your presence.

“Do we have confirmation this is actually a Hydra base?” you heard Steve ask as you watched him rub his face in frustration.

“Yeah, we got confirmation from Hill today,” Sam said. You felt your body stiffen, fear pumping through your veins. You’d almost allowed yourself to forget about all of this, living in a bubble filled with bliss. For the first time in a long time, you’d allowed yourself to forget, but you always knew the other shoe would drop.

“Fury wants us out in an hour. But no one tells anyone else about this mission. I don’t want her spiraling back down to where she was before,” Steve said.

You heard him sigh, and you understood why he was asking everyone to lie to you , but it didn’t hurt any less. You left, your mind and heart battling the other, however you knew what you had to do. You headed to your room, changed, and leaving before they realized you were gone

After changing, you wrote a quick note, placing it on your nightstand, then made your way down to the plane hangar, needing to commandeer one if you were going to beat the men.

You stopped the first crewman you saw. “Hey, Justin,” you said, reading the name tag hanging from his coveralls. “Hill has me going on a mission, are any of the jets ready to go?” You plastered your face with the biggest smile you could muster, batting your eyes. Justin returned your smile, pointing you to the left.

You thanked him, making your way over to the jet. You performed all checks, (it wouldn’t do you any good to die before you reached the base), plugged in your destination coordinates, and took off. You may not make it out, but you’d sure as fuck go down swinging.

————————————————————

Steve made his way down the hall to your room, wanting to see you before he left. As he waited for you to answer his knock, he took a deep breath, holding it in, thinking about what he was going to tell you.

He knocked again, and again. After his third attempt, he opened your door, worried something had happened. As he looked around your room, calling your name, his eyes fell to the note you’d written before you left.

As he read your words, his heart dropped. He turned and ran out of your room, stopping at Bucky’s door. Panicked, he knocked incessantly until he answered.

“She’s gone,” Steve said, pushing your note into Bucky’s chest. Bucky’s eyes widened, turning to his friend. He nodded at Steve, no words needing to be exchanged. Both men ran down the hall, stopping to grab Clint and Sam. You already had a half hour head start, but he’d be damned if you didn’t come back with him.

————————————————————

You heard him before you saw him, feeling his anger roll off in waves. If steam could actually appear out of someone’s ears, you’d be scorched right now.

You heard him yell your name, running behind you, his shield flying past your head as he took out three Hydra agents rushing you. You kept running, not even stopping to spare a glance Steve’s way.

You heard him yell your name again, followed by a string of expletives, but you kept your focus ahead of you, your mission the only thing on your mind, your heart still hurting over the lie.

“Goddamnit, Asshat,” you yelled back, jumping over the bodies as they landed beside you, almost causing you to lose your balance and fall on your face. “I have this handled.” You stopped, seeing all of the enemies down, and turned to Steve. “Why the fuck are you even here?”

“Why the fuck am I here? Why are you here? What were you thinking, coming here alone?” Steve yelled, his anger and fear colliding at seeing you unharmed.

“I was thinking maybe I had finally found a decent man, and a new group of friends, only to be lied to by them all.” Tears of frustration ran down your cheeks, upsetting you even more. This was not the time for tears, but your emotions were overflowing.

Steve’s face fell, guilt etched in all of his features before his face turned stern once more. “We didn’t lie to you, we were protecting you, I WAS PROTECTING YOU!” Steve yelled, grabbing your arms, making you face him.

You looked up at him about to yell back when a movement caught your attention. Acting on instinct, you pushed Steve out of the way, the bullet that was meant for his head now residing in your right side under your ribs. “Fuck!” you screamed, falling to the ground trying to get some pressure on your wound.

You were losing blood fast, your super healing not yet kicking in, causing your blood pressure to start dropping, your eyesight starting to go dark. “Not again, damnit.”

Steve turned, seeing you go down, rushing to your side. He threw his shield hitting the shooter in the head before turning his attention back to you. “Fuck. I need a transport out now. She’s been shot.”

Steve gathered you into his arms, his anger fading for just a moment as he stared at your lifeless body. He’d never felt so helpless, nor had anyone ever taken a bullet for him. Damnit, where was Barton with the jet? He applied more pressure to your wound, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw the aircraft landing near him.

Steve didn’t leave your side the entire flight back, his relief and worry turning to anger once again as you healed. You had regained consciousness, but didn’t open your eyes. You knew Steve was aware you were awake, his super soldier senses picking up the change in breathing and heart rate.

When the jet landed in the hangar, Clint, Sam, and Bucky deplaned, only after Steve had reassured the men that he would stay with you. You could feel the anger rolling off him as you stayed still, pretending you were still out.

“I know you’re awake,” he said tersely, dropping your hand as he stood up. You silently cursed, not remotely in the mood to deal with the drama about to unfold. You stood slowly, waiting for the yelling to begin as you became overly fascinated with a lint ball on the floor.

“What the fuck were you thinking? Again, you put your life in danger for no reason, not only going alone but jumping in front of a bullet? Do you have a death wish?”

“That’s an awfully angry way to say ‘Thank you for saving my life. Again’,” you retorted, still not looking at Steve, your own anger bubbling over.

“Why would I thank you for almost getting killed?” Steve screamed, no longer able to control himself. He knew this would scare you, maybe make you hate him, but he couldn’t stop. His mind replayed him holding your lifeless body on a loop, causing him a new level of fear he’d never felt before.

“THE GUN WAS AIMED AT YOUR HEAD, YOU FUCKING ASS!” you screamed back, finally finding your own strength, knowing you were just protecting him, same as he tried to do with you because you knew there was no longer you without him. He’d become a part of you, and no matter how hurt you were, you wouldn’t let him go.

Steve took a deep breath, watching you intensely. “Fuck it,” he said as he stepped forward, grabbing the back of your head as he pulled you in for a kiss. It was heavy, all teeth and tongue, words not enough to explain what either of you were feeling at this moment.

You pushed back, still angry, however as you looked into his eyes, his need and hunger written all over, you pulled him back in, kissing him harder and deeper as he wound his hand in your hair.

He pulled away, looking down at you, searching for permission, not wanting to push you before you were ready. What he found was you staring back, feral in stance and hunger. As he reached for you again, you slammed him against the wall, all but growling when you commanded him to stay. He let you take control, knowing your past, knowing this is what you needed and wanted.

You removed his uniform, tearing the top in the process as you grew impatient with the leather barrier. You dropped to your knees, his large cock in your face. You reached out, grasping the base firmly, stroking up and down his length, spreading his precum over the head down the shaft.

He moved to grab your hair, lifting his hips off the wall as he tried to push his cock even closer to your mouth. You pushed him back, pinning his hands by his hips, both firmly planted against the wall and once again commanded him to stay.

“Rogers, if you move one more time, you won’t get to cum,” you told him before sucking the spongy, angry tip of his cock into your mouth. You looked up as you hollowed your cheeks, sucking him deeper down your throat, gagging as you took all he gave you.

As he looked down, he couldn’t remember ever seeing something so fucking erotic and beautiful in his life. You continued to stare up at him, your tears mixing with your drool and precum, tasting every inch of this man.

“Fuck, damnit. I don’t think I’ll last much longer,” he said, his lust filled eyes barely showing a hint of his normal blue, pupils blown. You continued your assault, taking him even deeper, feeling it in your throat. He looked down, the sight of his dick bulging out of your throat too much. As you felt him start to cum, you doubled down, sucking and milking him as long as you could, until every last drop was swallowed.

You stood up, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand as you finally allowed him to move, his eyes staring at you, waiting for you to give consent. You looked back, nodding your head almost imperceptibly, giving in to your body’s demands.

“My turn,” he said, picking you up, pulling your pants off, and throwing your back against the wall, your thighs around his head as he dove right in, eating your cunt as if he’d been starved. You barely had time to steady yourself on his shoulders, before you felt the first orgasm washing over you.

He continued his meal, his tongue working your clit over and over, catapulting you over the edge again, his tongue ruthless. You grabbed his hair as he pinned your legs, adding two fingers as he sent you over the edge a third time.

He licked, sucked, and drank every last bit of you, swearing he had never tasted anything as good as this, becoming an instant addict of you. When he’d had all you had to offer, he moved your legs down, wrapping them around his waist, stopping to remove your top and bra.

You both stared at each other, him waiting for permission, you finally admitting how you truly felt. He returned your gaze, stopping to kiss you deeply and sensually, trying to convey every ounce of his affection for you across his lips.

He pulled back, lining his cock with your entrance, waiting for you to say yes, to open yourself to him completely. You nodded your head and felt him slowly start to push in. You threw your head back against the wall, his face in your neck, both breathing heavily as he pushed in inch by agonizing inch.

“Please,” you whined, not sure what you were asking for. You felt him slide all the way in, both of you taking a minute to adjust. He slowly pulled out, his mouth sucking and licking every drop of sweat from your neck before sliding back in, his pace torture.

He started fucking you faster, each thrust forcing your back up the wall just a bit as he deepened his angle. Still pinned against the wall, all you could do was hold on as he tore you apart then put you right back together, fast and deep.

You felt his hand slide between your bodies, his fingers rubbing over you overly sensitive clit, moving faster and faster as he continued until you tipped over the edge, cumming again all over him.

“I have never seen a more beautiful sight than your face when you cum,” he said as he fucked you through your orgasm, your mind completely full of just him. You felt his thrusts start to stutter, his hips pounding an uneven pattern until he came, his cum running down your legs.

He leaned his head on your shoulder as you both panted, coming down together. He kissed you, slowly and deeply, still inside of you. He pulled away, leaning his forehead on yours for a moment before he lifted his head again, his eyes searching yours.

“I never want to hold your lifeless body again,” he said, explaining his reaction earlier, apologizing for losing his temper. “I haven’t been that scared in a long time, and the thought of losing you scared me more than I was ready to admit.”

“I’m sorry, Steve. I didn’t consider your point of view.” You kissed him, pouring every ounce of affection you were feeling into it. “Please don’t hide things from me, especially missions. You may not want me to go, but this is who I am. From now on, it’s a decision we make together.”

He nodded, finally accepting you for exactly who you are, your fight and strength part of what drew him to you in the first place. You both stood still, your bodies still completely entwined, neither wanting to ruin the moment.

As he set you down and you went about getting dressed, you heard Stark on comms, telling you two if anything was broken or needed cleaning, it was coming out of your next paycheck. You laughed, walking hand in hand. You weren’t quite sure what you were walking towards, but you would do that together also.

#steve rogers #steve rogers angst #steve x reader #steve rogers x female reader #chris evans characters #marvel #steve rogers smut #Wizard the goat #Bucky x Doc

[sjsmith56]

Decisions, Chapter 8 - Eyes of the Father

Summary: The fight between the different Avengers over Bucky upsets Lacey but her emotions are tempered by a phone call.

Length: 4 K

Characters: Lacey, Clint, Laura, Steve, Bucky, OMC Agent Jones.

Warnings: none

Author notes: Set during and after Avengers: Civil War. Told from Lacey’s POV.

<<Chapter 7

👩🏼‍🍼 📺 📱

As Lacey was out on the tractor moving some deadwood trees she noticed Laura and Clint on the porch of their home.  It looked like they were having an argument which was unusual because they were so attuned to each other they rarely raised their voices when disagreeing.   She hopped off and unhitched the chain that dragged the dead tree, then rode the tractor to the barn.  As she drove past the other two they lowered their voices and watched her park the ancient vehicle.  She came out of the barn and stared at both of them.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Clint found something out and I think he should tell you," said Laura.  "He thinks it's need to know and you don't need to know yet.”

Lacey turned her gaze on him until he finally swore.  "They found Bucky," he said.  "In Bucharest, Romania, like we thought.  The authorities have accused him of bombing a UN meeting in Vienna that killed 12 and injured 70.  He's been taken into custody and they're transporting him to the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre in Berlin.  They're connected to the CIA, so you know how this is going to go down."

"You're thinking death penalty, aren't you?" she asked steadily.

"Yeah," he admitted.  "They'll go through the motions of giving him a psychiatric assessment and assign him a lawyer but they've been itching to throw the book at him ever since they found out the Winter Soldier's identity.  I'm sorry."

"Have you heard from Steve or Tony?" she asked.

"That's the thing," said Clint.  "Steve went to warn him and try to get him to give himself up to him.  They ended up in a pretty intense fight with the elite squad that was sent.  No deaths but Bucky hurt quite a few of them.  Steve and Sam are both in custody.  Tony wants them to support the CIA taking Bucky."

"What?" asked Lacey, upset.  "When did Tony start believing them?"

"Since Secretary Ross threatened to prosecute Steve and Sam for helping Bucky," replied Clint.  "Tony thinks he's walking a middle line, being reasonable.  I don't think Steve agrees with him on this.  Neither do I for that matter.  It all boils down to these Sokovia Accords and how they're being used."

There was the sound of a baby crying and both Lacey and Laura tilted their heads listening.  "That's mine," said Lacey, checking her watch.  "He's probably hungry."

She turned around and went up to her room where 8 month old Tommy was crying.  Picking him up she held him closely, then checked his diaper.  It was wet so she changed him first before sitting down in the rocking chair, lifting her T-shirt up and helping him latch on.  She offered him her fingers to hold and he grasped them firmly as he nursed hungrily.  She had wondered if all babies were this hungry or just this one but Laura assured her all three of her children were voracious feeders until they began eating solids.   It just hadn't happened with Tommy yet, even though he had been taking solids for several months.  With her free hand she turned on the TV in her room and found a news alert on all the channels.  The Winter Soldier had been activated while in custody, went on a rampage, then escaped.  It was believed Captain America/ Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson were helping him.  The authorities were looking for all three.  It had just gone from bad to worse.  She carried Tommy in her arms as she came down the stairs to see Clint and Laura watching the same news reports.

"They'll shoot him on sight now, won't they?" she asked openly. 

"It doesn't look good," agreed Clint, whose cell phone went off at that moment. 

Looking at the call display, he answered it while walking outside.  Laura kept looking at him through the window, her face concerned, until he walked back in.  His face was set in grim determination and she knew he had made an important decision.

"How soon?" asked Laura.

"Right away," he replied.  "Lacey, that was Sam.  Bucky was triggered by the UN psychiatrist sent to assess him.  They think he was a HYDRA mole that set up the Vienna bombing.  Bucky was knocked out while fighting with Steve but when he came to he remembered the man asked about a set of winter soldiers still in hibernation in Siberia.  They think he's gone to activate them.  They want my help to get out of Germany.  There are a couple of other people I need to get first then I'm going to help them.  We're going after the doctor."

"Won't that put you in jeopardy if you're caught?" she asked.

"Wouldn't be the first time," he replied, looking intently at Laura.  "Tell the kids I'm sorry about the water skiing.  Now I have to go break Wanda out of the compound."

He and Laura went to their bedroom leaving Lacey in the living room holding Tommy, feeling helpless.  He came down in his gear, walked out to the barn, then exited carrying his bow and arrows.  They followed him out to a second barn which he opened to reveal a quinjet.  Lacey looked at him with amazement.

"Permanent loan," he joked. 

After kissing Laura firmly he got into the quinjet and started it up while the two women went out into the farmyard.  Slowly he guided it out of the structure then raised it up into the air before applying the throttle.  Lacey put her arms around Laura's shoulders and the two women bent their heads together.

"I wondered how long it would take for him to leave retirement," admitted Laura. 

They both went about their farm duties, then made dinner for the kids.  As expected they were disappointed about their dad having to leave but it wasn't the first time it had happened.  The following morning Tommy woke up at his usual time and as Lacey fed him she turned the TV on.  There was another special report on TV about the Avengers fighting amongst themselves at the Leipzig airport.  Holding Tommy she opened the door and called to Laura who was feeding Nathaniel in her room.  She brought him into Lacey's room and they watched together as they fed their boys.

"This isn't good," Lacey said to Laura.  "It's going to split the team apart completely."

Laura watched intently then looked stricken at Lacey.  "They're changing their tactics," she said.  "Clint said they were all going to try to get out of there but it looks like they're taking on more of the fight to give Steve and Bucky the opportunity to escape.  It could mean they're expecting to be arrested."

Sure enough, as soon as Steve and Bucky escaped in the quinjet the other Avengers who had sided with them were taken into custody.  Laura phoned a number on her phone and by the sound of it the person who answered was Nick Fury.  It was hard listening to a one-sided phone conversation but when Laura hung up she wasn't as upset as she had been.

"Fury will do what he can," said Laura. 

They heard nothing until the next day when Fury confirmed that Clint, Sam, Wanda and a man unknown to them named Scott Lang had been placed into custody in an ultra secure facility called The Raft.  Fury admitted there wasn't much he could do for them while they were in that facility.  He also told them Natasha had helped Steve and Bucky escape.  Authorities were looking for her.

"Looks like we'll have to wait this out," said Laura, after hanging up. 

Although Laura refused to show anything but a positive face to her older two children Lacey knew how worried she was when she heard a knock on her door while she was nursing Tommy later that night. 

"Come in," she said, to the door opening and Laura entering.  "Are you okay?"

"No," she replied, her voice strained.  "Can I cry in here?  The kids won't hear me.  I can't keep it in any longer."

"Go for it," said Lacey, who was almost finished.  "Get under the covers, pull them over your head and let it rip."

Tommy was almost asleep so Lacey stopped feeding him, put him in the cradle and moved it to her bathroom, closing the door.  Then she got on top of the bed and put her arm around Laura.  As soon as she did the tears began to flow.  She held her friend, stroking her hair and just being there for her.  Laura cried for some time then composed herself, blew her nose and hugged Lacey.

"Thank you," she whispered.  "I had to get it out somehow.  I'll be alright now.  I'm glad you were here."

"Hey, you've been here for me this whole time," replied Lacey.  "I owe so much more to you."

They hugged and Laura left for her own room.  Lacey got under the covers, breathing deeply to centre herself.  Then she remembered something and went to the bathroom, opening the door.  Tommy was still asleep in his cradle.

"Sorry, little man," she whispered.  "Let's bring you back out here."

She sat looking at him, gently touching his dark hair.  His face was so beautiful and she could see the rapid eye movement behind his eyelids.

"What's going through your mind right now?" she asked him softly. 

He gave a little laugh in his sleep and she smiled.  No matter what happened to his dad she would always be there for him.  Always.

The sound of her phone on vibrate wakened Lacey and she looked at the call display.  It was Steve.  She answered it quickly.

"You know it's barely sunrise here," she said by way of greeting.

"I could always phone back," said a voice she hadn't heard for so long.

"Bucky?" she questioned, her voice trembling.  She was fully awake now.  "Is it really you?"

"Yeah, it's me," he confirmed.  "I had it all set up in my head what I would say to you and now I find my mind has gone blank."

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Someplace safe," he replied.  "They're going to treat me.  I lost my titanium arm when Stark blasted it off so they're going to remove what's left of it and maybe give me a new one.  They're also going to find a way to get HYDRA out of my head.  I'll have to go into cryostasis until they figure it out so you won't hear from me for a while.  That's why I wanted to talk to you now."

"Did Steve tell you anything?" she asked hesitantly.

"About the baby?  Yeah, Steve told me."   His voice sounded like he was ready to cry.  "I wish I had known.  I would have come back for you and made it right.  He's really my son."

It was said as a statement not a question.  "He looks just like you and he's such a good baby," replied Lacey.  "I didn't know who else to turn to when I approached Steve."

"You did good," he said warmly.  "Steve's family.  He wants to talk to you so I'll give him his phone.  Will you wait for me?  I never did find anyone else and I hope we have something worth waiting for, especially now."

"As long as it takes," she replied enthusiastically.  "I never found anyone either.  Those eyes captured me from the start.  You call me when you can.  Oh, and Bucky?  I got your letter.  Thank you for that."

"The CIA has your book that I took from you and the one I bought," he said hesitantly.  "Sorry for losing them.  Hopefully they don't come looking for you."

"I'm in a safe location," she replied. "Don't worry about the books.  Just be safe."

She felt a joy in her that made her feel giddy inside.  When Steve started talking to her she had to ask him to repeat what he said.

"I'm going underground," he said.  "This might be the last you hear from me for a while.  But I have the location of where Clint and the others are.  I'll get them out.  There's a good chance Clint can make a deal for house arrest.  He'll be stuck on the farm but he'll be with his family."

"Steve, why did Tony blast Bucky's arm off?" asked Lacey.

There was a long pause.  "Bucky killed Tony's parents when he was the Winter Soldier," he replied.  "Zemo had traffic cam footage.  It sent Tony into a rage.  Bucky and I had to team up and fight him together to stop him.  I don't think he'll come after you but if he shows up at the farm he probably won't be friendly."

"So much hurt," commented Lacey.  "The Avengers are finished then?"

"For now," answered Steve.  "I sent him an olive branch but it will be up to him to accept it."

"You told Bucky about the baby," she stated.

"Yeah," he admitted, and she could picture him looking down as he answered.  "It was important for him to know the truth and now he has something to come home to."

"Not if the CIA has their way," said Lacey.  "They want him dead."

"Well, they're complicit in his captivity and torture," he replied.  "Those HYDRA files Natasha released?  The man who framed Bucky was able to crack the encryption on a number of them.  The CIA knew about him in the late 1940s, early 1950s.  They knew and did nothing to rescue him because they had aspirations for their own Winter Soldier program, soldiers they could control, unlike me.  Fury knows a very good lawyer who has agreed to represent Bucky.  He thinks he can get Bucky a pardon."

Lacey couldn't help it as a sob escaped her throat, then another and another.  Her cries were loud enough to wake Tommy and he started to cry.  She put the phone on speaker as she lifted Tommy out of the cradle trying to soothe him and herself at the same time.  Bucky's voice came back on.

"Is that the baby crying?" he asked.  "Is he okay?"

"He's fine," replied Lacey, opening her nightgown to nurse Tommy.  "He's just hungry, always hungry this one."

"That might be the super soldier in him," said Bucky.  "We need a lot of calories to function.  Give him lots of bottles."

"No bottle for this baby, it's Mommy and solid foods," replied Lacey.  "Every four hours, like clockwork."

"I'll bet you look beautiful nursing him," said Bucky wistfully.  "I wish I was there right now."

"My phone has video capability," said Lacey.  "Next time you call use the video call on your end."

"He will," said Steve, interrupting.  "Look, tell Laura that I'll get Clint home.  You take care of yourself and Tommy.  Somehow Bucky will come back to you, I promise."

"Okay, goodbye Steve, goodbye Bucky," said Lacey softly.  "You take care of yourselves as well."

She hung up and looked lovingly at Tommy.  "That was your Dad," she said.  "He knows about you and he wants us to be a family."  Tommy smiled at her as he nursed.  "You like that, don't you?  I don't know when he can come home but I'll tell you everything I know about him.  Then he won't be a stranger to you when he does finally return."

When Lacey heard Laura get up she told her about the phone call and what Steve said.  It was hard to temper their expectations but they did, working the farm together.  About ten days after the phone call a large black SUV drove up to the farm and FBI Agent Jones stepped out from the driver's seat.   Lacey could barely disguise her hostility but he wasn't there just to see her.  He opened the passenger door of the SUV and Clint stepped out.  Both men walked to where Lacey and Laura were sitting on the steps holding their babies.

"Hi honey, I'm home," said Clint, smiling in that understated way he had.  "I'm retired for good this time."  He lifted the cuff of his pant leg revealing an ankle monitor.  "Agent Jones of the FBI is the only one who knows about the farm and will come looking if I step outside a 10 mile radius from it.  It means I can still pick up your mail Lacey."

She glared at the agent and Jones looked frustrated.  "I'm not your enemy, Lacey," he said.  "I suspected you had other reasons for asking for the Avengers help and I can see by that little guy exactly what that was.  I'm not judging.  Take a walk with me, please."

Clint nodded his agreement and Lacey stood up, still carrying Tommy.  She and Agent Jones walked towards a small hill that overlooked most of the farm's crop land. 

"How come you are on Clint's file?" she asked.  "You were based in Delaware."

"I got transferred," he replied.  "We closed your file.  The Russians don't seem to be as interested in you anymore.  All the same, if you can keep a low profile, which isn't easy considering your book is selling well, I would be happier.  I received a phone call from a Nick Fury, very persuasive man, who suggested I keep an eye on Clint and you at the same time.  He sent me a digital file with some decrypted HYDRA files on it.  Those HYDRA files prove that the CIA left Barnes in the hands of an enemy willingly.  As far as I'm concerned they're the guilty party in most of this.  Barnes was a victim and I truly hope he gets the help he needs."

She stopped and looked at him almost in disbelief.  "You're on Bucky's side now?" she asked.

"Although I was looking for Barnes as a law man there was a lot about him that didn't add up," he admitted.  "The CIA painted him as this monster who was out of control.  Yet he spent time with you, helping you with your repairs, then took on four very dangerous Russian heavies without killing them.  Until he was framed for the Vienna bombing there was no sign of him, no word of him hurting or killing anyone.  That didn't seem like a killer out of control.  It did seem like a man rejecting his past and trying to be better."

"Do you know where he is?" asked Lacey.

"I have an idea," replied Jones.  "Truthfully there isn't any place here in the States that can treat him for what HYDRA did to him.  The brainwashing is so deeply embedded it will require some new thinking to treat it.  There is one place in the world that may, just may, have that technology.  Wakanda.  Prince T'Challa was all for hunting Barnes down and killing him himself in retaliation for the death of his father.  Then he suddenly appeared with another man, a Colonel Zemo, and said he was the man who set up Barnes.  I suspect he feels guilty about how he viewed Barnes and he wants to make amends."

"Then you know more than I do," replied Lacey, at first wondering if she should say more.  "I heard from Bucky.  He wouldn't tell me where he was.  Old habits die hard, I guess.  He did say they were going to treat him for the HYDRA brainwashing, and replace his arm."

"Good," said Jones bluntly.  "It's a beginning anyways.  As for you and this little guy, no one will hear about him from me.  He looks just like Barnes, doesn't he?"

Jones tickled Tommy under his chin and the little boy giggled, making the FBI agent smile.  They walked back to where Clint was holding Nathaniel.

"I'll come out to see you on an irregular basis," said Jones.  "If you have to go outside of the 10 mile radius for any reason call me and I will escort you.   Otherwise enjoy your retirement."

"Agent Jones?" called Lacey, remembering one more thing.  "Did you ever find out if there was a leak at your end?  You know, about the flash drive?"

"Yeah, there was," replied the agent.  "The same person who ordered me to bug your home.  He owed money to the Russian mob, got in over his head during an underground poker game.  One of the Russian heavies recognized him and I saw it on his face.  We checked him out and found the evidence.  Thanks to you we found an informant for the Russian mafia high up in the FBI."

He returned to his vehicle and left.  Laura looked at Clint.  "Lacey had a phone call from Bucky," she said.  "Steve told him about the baby."

"Good," said Clint.  "He's a good fighter and he handled himself well."

"But what did you think of him?" asked his wife.

"He's okay?" asked Clint.  "It's not like I was able to have a long conversation with him."  The two women giggled and he looked exasperated at first then shook his head.  "I'm going to shower and change.  Then you can tell me everything you know and I'll tell you everything I know."

When Clint came back he held Nathaniel while he described everything that happened at Leipzig Airport, including the serious injury suffered by Colonel Rhodes.  He briefly described being imprisoned on the Raft, refusing to go too much into detail about how they were treated there.  Then he described how Steve Rogers broke into the prison and released them, transporting them to a safe location. 

"Scott Lang, a new guy from San Francisco, also turned himself in and agreed to house arrest," said Clint.  "He has a little girl and didn't want to miss out on her growing up.  Wanda has gone into hiding.  Sam and Steve went underground.  I can't believe Prince T'Challa gave sanctuary to Barnes.  He blamed Barnes for his father's death until they found out that Zemo set him up."

"Bucky wouldn't say if he was in Wakanda," said Lacey, "but he said that he would be treated for the activation words."

"Still have a thing for him?" asked Clint.

"He said if he had known about Tommy he would have returned right away and made it right," replied Lacey.  "To a 1940s guy that means marrying me, right?"  Clint nodded, smiling.  "He asked me to wait for him, so we could find out if we do have something.  I said I would."

"It could be a long time," cautioned Clint. 

"I know," replied Lacey, touching Tommy's hair.  "Agent Jones figured the Wakandans have to invent a whole new process to treat him.  Who knows how long it will take?"

"Well, I'm out of it now," said Clint, kissing Nathaniel on the head.  "My life is here, for good."  Laura put a hand on his.  "You're still welcome to stay with us, Lacey.  I think Laura and I kind of got used to having you around."

"Thanks," she replied.  "It does feel like home here.  I think when Bucky and I do figure out our relationship I'll buy a farm.  The life has kind of grown on me." She lifted Tommy up in the air.  "You like it here, don't you, little man?"

Both Clint and Laura smiled kindly at her and Tommy as he squealed.  His squeals set Nathaniel off and the two boys found an audience for their antics.  Laura went into the house and brought out a blanket for the two babies to lie on.  Nathaniel was already crawling and Tommy watched him intently as he laid on his back.  Rolling over he tried several times to raise himself onto his hands and knees.  When he finally did then stood up immediately both Clint and Laura expressed surprise but for Lacey it was confirmation that Tommy was special.  He had super soldier blood and that meant a whole new level of protection would be needed for him.  Until Bucky could be with them it would have to come from a bunch of Avengers that were scattered to the winds.  At least here on the farm he was isolated and for now that would have to do.

Chapter 9>>

Series Masterlist

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #buckybarnes original female character #steve rogers #clint barton #laura barton #avengers civil war

[babygirl-diaz]

Winning a Losing Bet

In which Sam loses a bet to Bucky. But does he really?

***

Bucky nervously tapped his foot against the ground. He didn’t know why he was nervous. It’s not like he was the one who had lost the bet. 

“You gonna stay in there all night?” He called out to his husband. 

“You have a severe lack of patience,” Sam replied. His voice sounded closer than Bucky expected. 

Bucky turned immediately turned around, almost giving himself whiplash. He was the former assassin, but how Sam always managed to sneak up on him was beyond him. “Whoa,” Bucky’s jaw dropped when he finally took in Sam. 

“Whoa?” Sam asked, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you’d be laughing your ass off right now.” 

Sam had lost a bet against Bucky. It was a silly bet. A few weeks ago, Bucky said that he had a better memory, which Sam disputed, and he may have even called Bucky, an old man. To prove him wrong, Bucky bet Sam that Sam would forget their anniversary on February 25. Long story short, Sam forgot to put the reminder on his calendar and forgot their anniversary. Bucky, of course, wouldn’t let it go, and as per their bet, Sam would have to wear the horrible Captain America panty they found last year. The thing had a cartoonish version of Captain America drawn on the crotch with a speech bubble saying “God bless America,” something Sam would never say. It also had a bright sun drawn behind Sam. The thing was just absurd, and Sam and Bucky bought it off the clearance rack so that no one else would have to. It was supposed to be a lingerie piece with garter straps. 

Well, being the good sport that he is, Sam wore the Captain America lingerie, complete with the garter straps, AND pair of red stockings, AND red stilettos that made him look like sex on legs. Oh, that cheeky bastard. 

Bucky slowly approached Sam while smirking, “That wasn’t part of the bet,” he said in a low voice. 

“What wasn’t?” Sam asked with his hands on his hips while smirking back at his husband. 

“You looking sexy as hell in that ridiculous panty,” Bucky replied. He tilted his head to the side and bit his lips as he unabashedly checked out his husband. “Fuck, baby, there is no way in hell we’re going out now.” He said, taking off his suit jacket and throwing it aside. As he started to unbutton the white shirt he was wearing under the jacket, Sam grabbed his hand and stopped him. “What?” Bucky asked, confused. 

“Oh, we’re going to that dinner,” Sam replied. He lowered his voice as he drew circles on Bucky’s exposed chest. “And I’m going to wear the panty and the stocking under my suit, and you’re going to sit there in that very expensive restaurant and try not to cream your pants as you think about what you could be doing to me instead.” With that, he kissed Bucky’s cheek and sauntered back to the bathroom with only the sound of heels clicking against the floor. 

#SamBucky #Sam Wilson #Bucky Barnes #TFATWS #fanfic #aashnas drabble

[mimisempai]

Don't hide from me

Summary

Although Sam didn't want to show Bucky that he was sick, his lover wasn't born yesterday and Sam will have to accept that Bucky is there to take care of him.

On AO3

Rating G - 964 words

Sam had been in bed all morning, plagued by a throbbing headache and increasingly obvious symptoms of the flu. He was enjoying a few days off that he was looking forward to spending with Bucky at their house in Delacroix and had pretended to be fine when Bucky came to say goodbye before leaving for his work day with Sarah.

He staggered to his feet to get something to drink in the kitchen and almost fell over when he felt himself almost lifted by two strong arms that could only belong to one person.

"Wow Doll, that was close! Good thing I got here in time."

Bucky helped him to his feet and continued quietly with a worried look on his face, "You really don't look well.

Sam grumbled, "That's the understatement of the century... What are you doing here? What about your work with Sarah?"

Bucky, not at all fazed by his lover's grumpy attitude, replied, "Actually, I saw that you were trying to hide from me that you weren't feeling well, so I went to the pharmacy and on the way I called your sister to tell her I wouldn't be in today."

Sam asked, his voice hoarse, "And she let you have your day like that?"

Bucky chuckled, "When I told her why, she said, and I quote, 'Stay with my brother and don't let me catch him out of bed, or Captain America or no Captain America, I will drag him back in by the scruff of his neck, pronto!'"

"She said that?"

Bucky nodded, "I can call her so you can check it out if you want."

Sam grumbled, "No, no, I have enough of a headache as it is."

"Okay...no more speeches."

And without Sam being able to say anything, Bucky picked him up and carried him effortlessly into their bedroom.

Sam cried out, "Put me down right now!"

"Nope. I'm taking you back to bed and you have no say in the matter."

Sam huffed and tied his arms around Bucky's neck, no longer protesting. For Bucky that was proof enough of his lover's condition and he knew he had done the right thing by taking matters into his own hands.

He carried Sam to the bed and gently laid him down before tucking him in. Then he kissed him lightly on the forehead. Then he went back to the kitchen and returned with a glass of water and whatever he needed for his headache. 

"Here," Bucky helped him sit up so he could hand him the glass and the pill.

Sam took it obediently and whispered tiredly, "Thanks, Bucky."

Bucky took the glass back and replied, "You're welcome, love, I'll be right back."

Sam heard him in the kitchen, but now exhausted, he fell back onto the soft pillows, pulling the covers over him.

When Bucky returned a few moments later, Sam was already dozing off. However, he opened his eyes to see that Bucky had brought a cup of tea and was placing it on his bedside table.

Then, he knelt down in front of Sam and asked, "Do you need anything else?"

He saw Sam shiver and his lover asked, "Another blanket, please?"

Bucky frowned and gently placed his hand on Sam's forehead. Almost immediately he exclaimed, "You're hot!"

Sam, in an attempt at humor, muttered, "For you, always..." and was interrupted by a coughing fit.

Bucky muttered, "Very funny," before hurrying out of the room. He returned a few minutes later with a basin of water, a small towel and a blanket.

He placed the folded blanket at the foot of the bed and came to sit on the edge of the bed, gently uncovering Sam who was whimpering.

Bucky said softly to him, "I know, doll, but first I'm going to bring the temperature down a bit and then I'm going to cover you again."

Bucky moistened the towel and gently ran it over his lover's face. Sam sighed contentedly despite his shivering as he felt the coolness of the wet towel on his burning skin, even though the water was lukewarm.

Bucky hummed softly as he moistened the towel from time to time and ran it over Sam's entire body. He pulled him to sit up and Sam whined again, but Bucky said softly, "Just the back and I'm almost done." Sam relented and when Bucky was finished he made him lie back down and then put the basin and towel on the floor.

He covered Sam, then stood up, took the other blanket and spread it over the first one and Sam sighed again in contentment before he felt the blanket lift as Bucky slid in beside him. He felt his lover's two strong arms wrap around him and pull him close as Bucky whispered into his hair, "You can let go now Sam, I'll take care of you. Go to sleep, I'll stay with you."

Sam pressed his back against Bucky's chest and whispered, his voice husky, "You would make the best husband ever you know?"

Bucky chuckled against his hair, "Oh Sam, count on me to remind you of what you just said when your fever breaks."

Sam still had enough lucidity to reply, "Don't worry, I'm perfectly aware of what I just said."

Bucky replied quietly, "Perfect, because I definitely intend to marry you one day!"

The bliss Sam felt at these words and especially at the determination in Bucky's voice was not due to the fever.

He felt the caress of his lover's lips on his hair and then Bucky whispered, "Sleep now. We'll have plenty of time to talk about the engagement when you've recovered."

Sam could no longer fight the exhaustion, but he had a smile on his face when sleep finally came.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Sambucky masterlist here

#established sambucky #tfatws #sam wilson #bucky barnes #sambucky #sam wilson x bucky barnes #bucky barnes x sam wilson #sambucky fics #Bucky Barnes Takes Care of Sam Wilson

[crazyunsexycool]

Leave your lover

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader, OMC Jason x Reader

Word Count: 7.3K

Warnings: A bit of cursing, angst with a happy ending, idiots in love, sad Steve, mentions of pregnancy. That's about it if I missed something let me know.

A/N: I've been working on this for the past few weeks. It is by no means perfect but I was inspired by the Sam Smith song by the same name so enjoy. Not beta'd all mistakes are my own.

Masterlist

Steve had hidden away in a stairwell, he had a small sketchbook and pencil he always brought to these things and he was currently distracting himself by drawing. He can hear your footsteps before you stop at the door and push it open. 

“Hey Sunny.” He says without looking up. 

“One of these days I’m going to catch you off guard.” 

“Never.” He says with a smile. 

“We’ll see about that.” You sigh. “Come on Cap, they’re ready for you.” 

“Why do I still have to do these interviews?” 

“I know you hate these things and I made sure to make them as short as possible but people love learning about the avengers. This is the last one I promise.” You move to open the door looking over your shoulder. You see him staring at his sketchbook. “Are you drawing your girl again?” 

He nods. “Yeah, she’s the only one that keeps me sane.” He says as he gets up.

“When are you going to let me see those sketches?” 

“They aren’t ready yet.” He says as he gets up and follows you out of the stairwell. 

“These are the questions that I approved.” You give him a set of flash cards. “They should stick with them but you know what to do if they ask you something you aren’t comfortable answering. The reporter interviewing you is new, her name is Roxie Sanders.” 

He nods as he goes through the cards. 

The interview goes well, the reporter asking all the questions on the flash cards and Steve answers everyone of them with his Captain America charm. 

“Just one more question, Captain.” The reporter looked hopeful and Steve, being a gentleman, gave a small nod. 

“Rumor has it that you’re still single. Is that true, or has someone caught your eye? Do you have any plans to settle down with a future Mrs. America?” She asks. 

“I-um.” He swallows thickly before his eyes flick from the reporter to you and back. 

“Cut. We’re done here.” You say as the cameraman stops recording, you make your way to both of them. “Steve, you're good to go. This was the last interview of the day.” 

“Y/N.” He calls out almost as a warning. 

“Captain.” matching his tone.

He can see you’re furious and honestly he’s afraid you’ll make the reporter cry but he’d rather you not be mad at him so he gets up and leaves.

He’s out of the interview room immediately but stays close by. He can’t help the smile that graces his lips as he hears you get protective over him. You’re in there for a few minutes before he hears you telling the reporter that if she ever wants to work with the Avengers again she’ll stick to the approved questions. 

His head tilts to the side when he hears the door open and shut as you walk towards him. 

“Did you make her cry?” 

“I didn’t make her cry. I’m just tired of going over this every single time. We have made it clear with the stations, magazines and newspaper that each member of the Avenger’s team has certain topics that you will not be answering. I get it’s their jobs but we have set limits and they need to respect that. She knew better.” You shrug as you both head towards the elevator.

“Ok tiger. Come on, let's get dinner. My treat.” Steve looks at you and smiles. 

“Oh actually I can’t tonight. Rain check?” 

“Sure. girls night with Nat and Pepper?” 

“No, I actually have a date.” You smile up at him obviously excited. But his world might as well have stopped turning. You on a date. 

“You ok there Cap?” You look up at him, slightly worried at the shift in his mood. 

“Yeah,” he clears his throat. “I’m good.” 

There’s silence while the elevator goes up towards the floor your offices are at.

“So a date. Do I know him?” 

“No, he’s a friend of a friend.” 

“Wait, do you know him?”

“We’ve been texting and Nat did a background check on him the minute I told her about it. He seems legit.” You step out of the elevator and head to your office which is right across from Steve’s. 

“If you need anything, call me ok. And text me when you get home so I know you’re safe.” 

“Of course. Thank you Stevie, have a good night.” You say as you grab your things and head out. 

Steve stays in his office the rest of the evening, trying to keep himself busy and not think about the fact that you’re out with someone else. It doesn’t take long for Bucky to show up at the office looking for him.

“Hey Punk, what are you still doing here?” He asks as he turns to your office expecting your light to be on. Knowing that Steve usually stays if you’re still in too. 

“I was just finishing up some reports and looking over some upcoming missions. Trying to plan ahead, you know.” He says without looking up.

“And it has nothing to do with the fact that Y/N is on a date?” Nat says as she appears by Bucky. She walks past him and sits in one of the chairs across from Steve.

“Oh for fucks sake. Steve, you said you were going to ask her out. What happened?” 

“He choked like he always does.” Nat answers. 

“That’s enough. She’s on one date; it's not like she’s going to marry him. For all you know the date could go horribly wrong.”

“Knowing Y/N he’ll propose by the end of the night. Shit I thought about it when I first met her.” Bucky says with a smirk.

“Me too.” Nat adds.

“Me three, what are we talking about?” Sam asks as he stands in the doorway with Bucky.

“Nothing.” Steve is already annoyed at two of his friends, knowing Sam will have something to add.

“Why are you here if the boss isn’t?”  He points back at your office over his shoulder. 

You started working with Steve and Nat after the battle of New York. It was a huge ordeal when the whole winter soldier fiasco happened but you handled it beautifully. So it made sense to Tony that you would take on Sam and Bucky when they joined. You were fiercely protective over them and if they were honest the 3 men were kind of afraid of you. They would do whatever you asked so they appropriately nicknamed you boss.

“She’s on a date and he’s upset because someone beat him to it.” Bucky fills Sam in on the situation.

“Damn that sucks. You said you were going to ask her out what happened?” He asks as he takes the other chair in his office.

“Can we change the subject? I’m not upset, she’s a grown woman and she can go out with whoever she wants.” 

“Ok man, but it’s already late, why don’t we go do something.” Sam knows when to push and tease Steve but he also knows that you are a sensitive subject for him. 

Reluctantly Steve gets up and follows his friends up to the shared living room. They try to distract him but it’s useless. His thoughts are filled with you. He didn’t know why he hadn’t asked you out, part of him was scared that you’d reject him and laugh in his face. To him you’re perfect and he doesn’t think he deserves even an ounce of your affection. 

His phone vibrates in his pocket.

Y/N: I’m home! ☺️☺️

Steve: Good, sweet dreams Sunny. 

Y/N: Good night Stevie. See you tomorrow.

“Alright I’m going to bed.” Steve suddenly announces.

“Good she’s home. Night Steve.” Bucky says followed by Nat and Sam.

Steve is restless the rest of the night. He can only hope that the date didn’t go well and he still has a chance. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Steve was in his office earlier than usual, after a restless night he worked out and decided to start his work for the day. He was also anxiously awaiting your arrival with hopes that you would tell him how horrible the date was and then he could swoop in and show you how it was really done. But he wouldn’t be so lucky. He could hear you and Nat talking as you made your way through the hallway. You were happy and he knew then that it was the beginning of losing you. 

“Good morning Stevie. I got this for you.” You hold up a coffee cup for him to see before setting it in front of him on the desk. 

“Thanks Sunny but you didn’t have to do that.” He offers a small smile.

“I know but I felt bad about yesterday.”

“Don’t worry about it. So how did it go?” He couldn’t understand why he would torture himself like that and then he saw it. The way your eyes lit up and the blinding smile that he loved so much.

“It went really well. We might go out again this weekend.” 

“That’s good.” He nods.

“Yeah, he was sweet. I really like him.” 

“Well as long as he treats you right. But if he tries anything I’ll kick his ass.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” You chuckle. “I’ll see you later for that one meeting, ok.”

Steve just nods and stares down at his work. He wants nothing more than for you to be happy. He just wanted it to be him that did that, he wanted to be the reason for your smile. He wanted to know what it felt like to wake up and see you first thing in the morning and for you to be the last thing he saw when he went to sleep. Steve just wanted you to be the one he shared his life with. 

Now he just feels like you’re slipping through his fingers. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s been weeks since you went on that date with whatever his name was, Steve really didn’t care to learn his name. He was miserable, you were definitely happier and every time you spoke about him it was like you stepped on his already broken heart. But Steve being Steve he couldn’t just ask you to stop talking about your boyfriend, it would make you question him and he certainly couldn’t just tell you how head over heels in love he was with you. So he powered through it. The team was no help; they seemed to enjoy teasing him and pointing out how he missed his shot to be with you. 

The few weeks turned into months and he knew that if he couldn’t have you he would rather be alone. It didn’t help that since you had started dating him you spent less time with Steve. Before you would grab drinks or dinner together after work. If you knew he’d been on a particularly difficult mission you’d show up to his apartment in the tower and just spend time with him. Not saying a word, just keeping him company until he was ready to talk. Even at the beginning when you had first met and he was having nightmares you had insisted that he called you if he couldn’t sleep. At first he felt guilty but you always assured him that it was ok and that you would always be there for him. 

But that had been years ago and now you were walking around one of Tony’s parties introducing your boyfriend to the team. That was a first, you’d never brought a significant other to one of these even when he knew you were dating. He didn’t know what he hated more, the fact that the team kept sending him sympathetic glances and smiles or the fact that he was touching you. Steve hated seeing his hands on you. He stayed glued to the corner of the bar and once again he wished he could get drunk. Unfortunately Thor was off-world and couldn’t give him any Asguardian mead to help with this feeling of loss he’d had since you told him you were officially in a relationship. 

Steve had managed to sneak out of the party and was at the elevator when he heard your voice. 

“Steve, are you leaving already?” You asked as you got closer.

“Yeah. I’m tired from the mission and don’t really feel like celebrating.” He said as he turned to look at you. 

“Oh, ok good night I guess.” You said with a hint of sadness in your voice. He quickly grabs your hand and pulls you closer.

“Is everything ok?”

“Yeah, I just wanted- you know what nevermind. You need to rest.”

“Sunny you can tell me anything.” 

“I just wanted to introduce you to Jason. But it’s not important. I can introduce you some other time.” You smile as you turn but he again pulls you by your hand.

“No it’s ok if it’s important to you I’ll meet him.”

“Are you sure? You can say no.” 

He shakes his head. “Lead the way.” He lets you pull him along and walk through the sea of people that always show up to these parties until you come to a stop where Nat and Bucky were talking to your boyfriend. 

Nat was the first to look your way which made your boyfriend turn around. That gave Bucky the opportunity to roll his eyes, letting Steve know he didn’t like the guy. He stood right by you, as close as possible without making you uncomfortable which you never seemed to be. At all of these events the two of you seemed to gravitate towards each other. You never noticed and no one ever pointed it out, they were secretly hoping you and Steve would end up together.

“Baby, I’d like you to meet Steve. Steve, this is my boyfriend Jason.” 

“What an honor to meet you, Captain.” Jason states as he stretches his hand out for Steve to shake. 

“Good to meet you too.” Steve shakes his hand and grips a little bit too hard. There is a bit of awkward silence between the five of you even with the music and the chatter going on around. 

“I’m gonna go get a new drink. Anyone want a refill?” You ask the group but they either lift their still filled glasses or give you a no. 

“Steve, I'll bring you something.” You say as you start turning.  

“Thanks Sunny.” He calls out.

“Sunny?” Jason asks as he looks between Steve and you.

“It’s a nickname, you know, like Sunshine. I just call her Sunny.” 

“Isn’t it a bit inappropriate since you work together?” He was slightly irritated at the friendship it seemed but Steve couldn’t care less. He actually smiled a little now that he knew he could use his friendship with you to annoy Jason.

“We’re just friends, I call her babe sometimes. Is that a problem?” Nat adds, smirking at the man that’s giving her a pointed look. 

 “Yes it is. I don’t like other men getting that close to my girlfriend.”

“Feeling insecure about something?” Bucky                                   

Jason opened his mouth to say something but you showed up before he could respond.

“Here you go Stevie.” You hand him his usual drink and turn to the group. “What did I miss?” 

“Nothing, babe.” Nat says before a mischievous grin adorns her face. 

“Some of the couches freed up, let's go.” Bucky points out and you all make your way to it as quickly as possible. You ended up seated between Steve and Jason, the latter keeping a hand on your knee as if he was claiming you. The three Avengers looked between one another silently agreeing that they didn’t really like Jason, but they would tolerate his presence if you were dating him. 

Before they even realize it you excuse yourself and Jason for the evening which leaves Nat, Bucky and Steve alone before the rest of the team joins them. 

“So,” Tony says, extending the ‘o’ for longer than necessary. “What are our thoughts on what’s his face?” 

“He’s nice to look at but that's about it.” Maria says from her spot on the floor.

“I agree. He isn’t that interesting but he’s cute.” 

“Pepper, why are you looking? I’m both cute and interesting. You don’t need anyone else.”  Tony exclaims, causing the team to laugh at the exchange. 

“He’s a jerk, and cocky. I don’t like him.” Clint adds

“So the consensus is that we don’t like him? Should we break them up? I think our Boss deserves better.”  

”That’s enough. Sam, do you even hear what you’re saying? If she likes him, let her be happy.” 

Bucky groans, “Of course you would be the one to not want them to break up you punk.” 

“I want her to be happy more than anything. Is that so hard to understand? Drop the idea of trying to break them up. I’ve had enough of this night. I'm going to bed.” Steve excuses himself and heads out. Leaving the team looking at each other concerned for their friends. They had all agreed that the two of you were made for each other; they just couldn’t understand how you hadn’t seen it. It was so obvious it hurt to watch. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You started to bring Jason around more, a fact that Steve found extremely annoying. Now not only did he have to hear about him but he had to see him if the team had a movie night or decided to go out to dinner. 

It was at those times when he was walking behind the rest of the team through the restaurant, tracking your every movement and listening to how you called out for Jason. The way you held his hand or grabbed his arm that he truly regretted not telling you of his feelings. After one of these outings he found himself so close to telling you to leave Jason and give him a chance. 

He almost confessed his love for you one night while you were both still working and you confronted him about him being distant. The look you gave him when you told him you missed him because of it. So when you brought Jason around to hang out with some of them he tried, just to make you happy. Steve started hanging out with you again. Until the day Jason showed up at your job, Steve had invited you to lunch so he was wrapping up a call and you had stepped out of your office for a moment. The knock at your office door is what made Steve lookup.

“She stepped out for a moment.” Steve says as he gets up from his desk and stands at the doorway.

“Do you know how long she’s going to be out?” 

“Shouldn’t be long we were just going to head out to lunch.” 

“Oh well I was going to surprise her with lunch today so.” Jason shrugged and waited for Steve to back out of his lunch with you and got irritated when he didn’t. 

Instead he just hummed and crossed his arms as he leaned into the doorframe.

“Well I’m taking Y/N to lunch. I guess you’ll have to go some other time.”

“Or we can wait until she comes back and she can decide.” 

“Listen, I’m not stupid.” Jason said as he walked toward Steve. “I know you have a thing for her and I don’t appreciate you getting in the way of our relationship.” 

“I’m not getting in the way of anything, we are just friends.” Steve fires back. He could already hear you getting closer, thankful for his enhanced hearing.

“You better back off and leave her alone. I’m warning you right now I’m not going to allow whatever-“ Jason stops when he sees you rounding the corner. 

“Jason? What are you doing here?”  

“I wanted to surprise you.” He says as he brings you into a hug, looking right at Steve as he smirks. Earning a glare from the super soldier. 

“What do you say we go out for lunch?” 

“I can’t,” Steve, who had turned away from the show your boyfriend was putting on, smiled thinking you had chosen to go out with him instead. “I am being pulled into a meeting. It starts in 15. I just came by to get some documents from my office and tell Steve, since we had plans for lunch.” 

“Maybe next time then.” Jason connects his lips to yours, a show of possessiveness you didn’t like and you cut it short. 

“Steve you’ll be needed too, I’ll save you a seat. Bye babe.” You go into your office, grab some files and head down the hallway.

“Bye, Jason.” Steve says and heads the same way you did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nat: Mission failed Steve and Bucky are in the hospital.

Y/N: How bad?

Nat: Worse than D.C. 

When you read that your heart dropped and it must have shown because Jason was asking what was wrong but you couldn’t focus on him. You needed to see him. To make sure Steve would pull through. You had just gotten home from the restaurant and you excused yourself, knowing that Jason would get mad. There would be a fight in the near future about how you would always cancel plans in order to be with Steve but you couldn’t be bothered to think of Jason’s feelings when Steve was in a hospital bed unconscious. So you rushed to his side in the black dress and heels you had been wearing for your date. 

Seeing him injured never got easier, you’re always worried that this will be the last time or that he won’t pull through and the thought of not having Steve in your life is the scariest thing you never want to face. 

When you get to the hospital floor of the tower Nat is there waiting.

“Any news?” 

“Bucky woke up but nothing on Steve yet.” Nat informs you, her expression neutral but you’ve known her long enough to know she’s scared to lose her friend. You walk over to her and give a hug. 

“Go change, I'll stay here. I’ll let you know if anything changes.”

“Ok.” Nat heads towards the elevators and you sit waiting to see if you could be with Steve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later Steve finally begins to wake up. He blinks a few times as he tries to remember what happened and take in his surroundings. After a quick scan of the room his eyes fall on you with your back to him and talking on the phone. He groans as he tries to sit up a little bit. You turn when you hear him.

“He just woke up, I’ll talk to you later.” you put the phone in the pocket of your hoodie as you make your way over to him and sit on the edge of the bed. “How are you feeling, do you want me to get the doctor for you?” 

“No, I’ll be fine.” his voice hoarse from disuse. When he said that the tears that you had been holding back started to fall. 

“I was so scared.” 

“Hey, I’m ok. A few days and I won’t even have a scratch on me.” 

“It’s been days and We didn’t know if you would wake up.” you say as you wring your hands. Steve places one of his over yours and gives you a little squeeze.

“I’m not going anywhere any time soon ok?” he reassures you with a smile.

“Ok.” You say as you move to hold his hand, the morning sun filtering through the windows hits your hand and Steve’s attention is captured by the flash of light reflected back to him.The last bit of hope he had to tell you how he felt is extinguished when he lifts your left hand to find a ring. You pull your hand back and hide it in the pocket of your hoodie.

You start to say something but a nurse walks in to complete the morning checks, when she sees that Steve is awake she gets the doctor. You excuse yourself to give him home privacy and to let the team know that he’s awake. 

A few minutes later Nat, Sam and Bucky walk in to find Steve sitting at the edge of the bed staring out of the window, deep in thought.

“Steve?” Bucky takes a seat on the bed next to him, pulling him out of whatever he was thinking of.

“You ok?”

“She’s engaged.”

“What?” They say in unison.

“Y/N is engaged.” 

“I think you might have hit your head harder than we thought man. Y/N hasn’t said anything.” Sam countered.

“I saw the ring, and when I did she hid her hand like she didn’t want me to see it.” 

A silence settled amongst the four friends. There was nothing they could say to make the situation better but they could see his heart break. Bucky put his hand on Steve’s shoulder for a moment before getting up, excusing himself and walking out followed by Sam and Nat. They knew when he needed some time alone. Steve sat there, in the hospital room silently berating himself for screwing up what he thought was his second chance at happiness. Now it was too late, he made his choice at that moment to put some distance between you and himself. You were his best friend and at some point he would be happy for you but he couldn’t, not at this moment. He couldn’t torture himself by watching you love another man up close. 

“Yeah… I will. Love you too. Ok, bye.” You hung up the phone. Looking over your shoulder when you heard footsteps. “Hey Nat, what’s up?” You asked as you stifled a yawn, anyone that looked at you could tell you were exhausted .

“Congratulations on your engagement.” 

You brows knit together in confusion as you look at the redhead. “Wha- how did you know?”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“What was I supposed to do? Come in and say ‘hey I know Steve and Bucky are hurt but look I’m engaged?’”

“When did he ask?”

“The night of the mission.” You look down at your ring, you cared for Jason but after thinking you were going to lose Steve you doubted just for a moment if it was the right choice. You look back up at Nat you weren’t sure what you were expecting but the frown she was sporting wasn’t it. 

“And you’re happy?” 

“Yeah, I am.” You hesitated when you answered and she noticed. “Why?”

“We’re friends right?”

“Of course we are.”

“I don’t think he’s right for you.”

“What?” you stare at her wide eyed. Taken aback by her statement.

“Look, I should have said something sooner but I don’t think Jason is the one. He’s unpleasant to be around and honestly we just deal with him because he’s dating you.” 

An uncomfortable silence falls between both of you. “I’m going to go home and get some things now that he’s up.” you inform her doing whatever you could to end this conversation.

“Ok.” 

You knew Jason wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea but you didn’t think he was that bad. Maybe you still hadn’t seen his true colors because you knew Nat wouldn’t say something to hurt your relationship. This made you question if saying yes was the right thing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following weeks were a blur. Steve did everything in his power to keep some distance, his friends insisted he tell you the truth but he was the one that sat across the hallway from your office. He could hear the excitement when you were talking to others about the wedding you had started to plan. Steve knew he couldn’t do that to you so he took on more missions and scheduled more time to train recruits. He also declined interviews so that he wouldn’t have to be around you. Again you had confronted him about it, the distance between you but this time he didn’t cave. Instead he explained it away saying he was just busy. 

He also did the one thing he promised himself he wouldn’t do, let Tony set him up on a date. Several actually, but they never worked out. Steve tried, he was a gentleman and they were nice and attractive women but they weren’t you. No one would ever compare and he was slowly starting to come to terms with that maybe he just wasn’t meant to have a happily ever after.

“Are you ok?” He hears you behind him.

“Yeah I’m fine, why?” he asks as he continues to look out towards the city, his arms resting on the railing. 

“Well I never thought I’d say this but Bucky is being more social than you are. You’ve been out here almost the whole time.”

“I’m just tired and there are a lot of people.” He shrugs slightly, his back still towards you.

“Come on Stevie, something is going on and we never keep things from each other.” 

He lets his head drop for a moment before taking a deep breath and turns to you. 

The worried expression that he had seen so many times over the years was etched on your face yet again because of him and it wasn’t fair to you that he was ruining your engagement party. Steve closes the gap and takes your hands in his.

“Does he make you happy?” The words escape his lips before he’s able to stop them.

“Yes.” You hesitate for just a moment as you see sadness and resignation reflect in Steve’s eyes. 

“That’s all I want for you Y/N.”

“Steve-” you’re cut off by the door opening, the music loud and overwhelming, you’re barely able to hear what Jason is saying. Steve takes it as his chance to get away, it was a mistake to come here and he knows it. He walks right by Jason, not bothering to excuse himself as he pushes his way through the crowded venue.

“Is everything ok?” Jason asks as he gets closer to you.

“Yeah, he was just saying goodbye. He's been on a lot of missions so he’s tired.” 

“Oh, well the presence of my fiancee is being requested back inside.” He kisses your cheek before taking your hand and leading you back inside. 

The rest of the night is spent with friends and family celebrating you and Jason, but every now and then you scan the room trying to find Steve before you remember that he left. Now you look for Bucky.

“Here comes the bride.” he announces to Nat and Sam who had their back to you.

“Hey, have any of you heard from Steve?” 

“He’s out on the balcony.” Sam says.

“No, he left a while ago.”

“Oh, well he’s probably just ups-”

“Just tired, he’s been on a lot of missions recently.” Nat cuts Bucky off.

“It’s what he told me but… He’s been acting weird lately, I’m just worried about him.” 

“That mission a few weeks ago affected him more than he let on.” Sam tries to ease your worry.

“I guess. If you hear from him will you let me know? I just want to know he’s ok.”

“Will do boss.” Bucky says as you turn back to rejoin Jason.

“We have to do something. Look at her, she’s more worried about Steve during her own engagement party than she is about her fiance.” 

“Steve had his chance to ask her out multiple times, it’s not fair to her to ruin her relationship.” Nat argues. 

“Sam?” Bucky looks at him expecting to have someone on his side.

“Listen they are the definition of idiots in love but do you think they would be ok with us meddling in their non-relationship? I know Steve would be mad if we tried to break up her relationship with Jason.” 

Bucky lets out a frustrated groan. “So are we just supposed to watch both of them be unhappy?” 

“Just a little longer. I don’t think she’ll go through with the wedding and we have to be ready for when it happens.”

“What did you have in mind, Red?”  

“I’ll tell you back at the tower. I’ll need your help.” Nat responds with a smirk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Between work and planning a wedding you lost track of time. Your schedule was a mixture of dress fittings and looking at venues, choosing flowers, making a guest list, sending out the invitations and the menu all in between handling four Avengers. And you did all of it alone, with Jason saying he didn’t have time for any of the wedding planning, he stepped back completely and let you deal with everything on your own. That had caused the arguments between the two of you and you had found yourself staying at the room in the tower Tony had given you instead of going to your shared home with Jason. You attributed these arguments to the stress of it all instead of him stepping back and making you deal with all of it. 

Before you knew it your bachelorette party came and went and so did your rehearsal dinner. The night before the wedding the nerves took over. For the first time since saying yes, doubt was taking over your mind. Although everyone you loved would be there to support you, well almost everyone, there was something about Steve not attending the wedding that made you sad. You two were still friends but something had changed. He had changed. He would smile but his eyes didn’t light up like they used to and you missed that. Whenever there were team hang outs he wouldn’t really interact with anyone, instead he sat to the side. The only thing that was consistent was his missions. Steve would go on back to back missions until you would stop him and force him to take some time away. 

The morning snuck up on you, there was a ball of nerves in the pit of your stomach but there was no time to dwell on the feeling since you had to leave immediately to the venue. Your mom and grandmother assured you that once you were on the altar staring at the love of your life those nerves would disappear. The issue was that instead of picturing Jason in his tux you instead thought of a certain blonde-haired blue-eyed super soldier. 

Your hair was done, pulled up and away from your face. The make-up artist finished touching up the bridesmaids and your dress was being zipped up by your mom. All of the jewelry was on and your heels were sitting by the door. You had asked for a moment to yourself and everyone left the room, you looked out of the window in hopes to get a glimpse of the last minute guests that arrived. There was a small piece of you that wished you could see Steve, maybe if he was there you could be sure that you weren’t in fact in love with him but instead just missed your friend. But he wouldn’t be there, he told you as much. There was a soft knock on the door before it opened. You turned in time to see Nat walk in and close the door behind her. 

“Hey, 5 minutes and we have to head down.” 

“Ok, thanks Nat.” You smiled at your maid of honor. 

“Do you have everything?”

“What?” you looked at her confused.

“Something old, something new… you know?”

“Oh well, I have the earrings which are old. My dress is something new. My heels are something blue and well, I don't know about something borrowed.” 

“Good, I have just the thing for you.” She opens her bag and hands it over. Your eyes go wide.

“Nat…” 

She smiles at you before lifting her hand to her ear. “Down in 5.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Steve sat on the couch of his apartment in the tower. The invitation to your wedding in his hand mocking him. It could have been his name on the invitation and by the end of the day you would have been his wife. Now he sat alone, wishing for the comfort that only you could give him. There would be things in his life that he would have to live with like not jumping after Bucky when he fell from the train, but losing you entirely was not something he wasn’t ready to face. It was enough that Steve had to work alongside you but to watch you plan the beginning of the rest of your life loving someone else was too much to handle. 

After sitting there for most of the morning he decided that he couldn’t watch you marry someone that didn’t appreciate you the way you deserved. He got up from the couch, got dressed and headed out the door with the invitation in hand. Steve hoped it wasn’t too late and that he could at least tell you how he felt even if it made him look like a selfish ass for waiting so long. If there was a chance that you loved him the way he did you, he had to know.

Steve pressed the elevator button down multiple times as he waited. He took a deep breath as he heard the ding and the doors slid open. His eyes wide as he looked up seeing you standing there, the train to your wedding dress wrapped up in your hands. Steve was sure you had never looked more beautiful. 

“I told you I would catch you off guard one day.” you said as you with a small smile but it was clear that you had been crying. You walk out of the elevator and stand in front of Steve.

“What are you doing here?” he asked but part of him was dreading the answer.

“Well you see there is a tradition for brides on wedding days. Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. The problem was that my something borrowed wasn’t really borrowed but stolen.”  You let the train of your dress fall and in your hand you held the sketchbook he always had with him. 

“Y/N I can-”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” you ask as you flip through the pages that held the sketches he had made of you. There were little notes on the edges of the pages, some had the dates, others things he wanted to say to you and so on.

“It was so easy to fall for you so easy it was scary. I mean you are kind, smart, selfless and you are so damn beautiful and I’m just me. I was afraid you would reject me and I don’t think I could handle that.”

You cupped his cheek, your thumb moving back and forth and he closed his eyes at the contact. “But that’s exactly why I fell for you, because you are just Steve.” His eyes snapped open full of love and relief. A look that was reflected back to him in your own eyes. His hands find their way to your waist and he pulls you closer to him.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“I wouldn’t have left my wedding if I wasn’t.” His lips meet yours in a soft and sweet kiss. Your hand moves from his cheek to his neck to deepen it while he pulls you flush against him. Years of lost time and affection are poured into it and it has you both reeling. You pull back once the need for air is more than you can handle and his lips chase yours. The act makes you giggle.

“I’ve missed you.” 

“Me too, Sunny.” He gives you another quick kiss.

“We still have a lot to talk about, but first I need to get out of this dress. I’ll be right back.” 

**************

Steve had gone back to his apartment and changed into something comfortable while he waited for you to come back up. He turned his attention towards the door when he heard it open, chuckling when he saw your Captain America t-shirt.

“Shut up, most of my clothes are back at the apartment.” 

“Oh come on I’m not making fun of you. You just look cute in my t-shirt.” he grins at you and you can’t help but smile back. 

“We should talk.”

“Yeah, let's sit. Do you want something to drink?” 

“No, I'm good.” you say as you move around the couch and take a seat. Turning your body toward the spot Steve is going to sit at, your arm resting on the backrest. He mimics your sitting position and he intertwines his fingers with yours. “So…”

You spent the rest of the day talking. It started with you explaining how you got the sketchbook, Jason’s reaction to you calling off the wedding. He was angrier with the fact that you were choosing Steve than you not getting married at all. Steve tells you about the time he realized that he was in love with you. 

“I’m sorry for not telling you that I loved you when I knew.”

“Me too. But I think that we need a little bit of time before we start dating.” 

“I can wait a little longer.” he smiles at you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“One more question, Captain.” Roxie asks.

“Of course.”

“You recently got married and I want to start by saying congratulations on that.”

“Thank you.”

“I asked you a long time ago if you had any plans to settle down. Now that you have, are there any plans to start a family any time soon?” 

Steve smiles at her. “We aren’t really sure, how about you ask in another few months.”

“I sure will. Thank you again Captain, it's always a pleasure.”

“Thank you, Roxie.”

“Cut.” Someone yells behind the camera. Steve stands and shakes hands with Roxie before walking around the equipment to find you typing away on your phone. 

“Let’s get out of here Sunny.” 

“Thank god I’m so tired.” you smile as you intertwine your fingers with his and head out of the interview rooms Tony set up in the tower and get into the elevator. 

“Don’t think I didn’t notice what you said at the end there.”

“What?”

“To ask in another few months if we were going to start a family.”

“Well technically we are.” He says as he stands behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and letting his hands rest on your swollen belly concealed by the cardigan you had chosen to wear. 

“She’s going to flip when she realizes you technically gave her an exclusive.”

“I had to make it up to her for that time you made her cry.”

“I did not make her cry.” you defend yourself while he laughs. The doors open and you walk hand in hand out of the elevator until you reach your shared apartment. 

You both changed and settled on the couch, you lay with your back against his chest and your head on his shoulder as some random tv show plays. Since the moment you told him you were pregnant he loved laying like this just so that he could place his hand on your small bump, he said that this way he could wrap his arms around his whole world. It was these moments which always had you wondering about how your life would have turned out if you had stayed with Jason. 

But you wouldn’t change anything about the last two years of your life because they had been the best. Once Steve actually asked you out you both realized how dumb it was to have waited so long. Loving and being loved by Steve was the easiest thing in the world considering you had been doing it since before you were aware that it was love. 

Permanent taglist: @kunaikunari @rebekahdawkins @cjand10 @nalny5 @oliviafc15 @sturchling @angywritesstuff @seitmai @writing-for-marvel @goldylions 

#steve x reader #steve rogers #captain america #angst with a happy ending #fluff #Steve Rogers x Reader #steve rogers x fem!reader #Spotify

[lazydoodlesandfanfic]

BANG (Steve Rogers X Male!Reader)

Characters: Steve Rogers X Male!reader

Universe: Marvel, Avengers

Warnings: PTSD, Mention of shootings and death, mention of major injuries

Request: So umm... Steve rogers x male reader in his like twentys who was in the war and has a little bit of PTSD. Anyway the R is with steve and they see a fight or someone with a gun or something and R has a panic attack and it's all fluffy?

Steve couldn’t exactly remember the last time he’d had a day off work, and had spent it enjoying himself in the company of people he cared about. He’d been to parties, after work drinks, movies nights, but never an actual full day. The last time was probably pre-war, before he was given the serum. For him, this made today extra special. A full day off with someone incredibly special to him. You.

Steve had only met you a few months ago at a group therapy session for veterans that Sam had recommended to him, even going with him for that first session, and it was there where he met you. Steve felt he stood out because- well, he was Captain America. You stood out as well, because you were the youngest person in the room. Everyone else's ages were in the 30’s and above, but you were in your 20’s still. As people started passing around their stories, talking about what led them to being in that room, he learnt your story.

You’d joined the army fresh out of high school to support your family and to make them proud. You’d been in the field, made some good friends, got comfortable, and it all seemed that you had found your calling and you were gonna stay in for as long as possible. However, a normal patrol went all the way south, resulting in your entire squad being shot dead, and you only surviving purely by the luck of none of the bullets hitting you anywhere vital, and managing to hide your pain and playing dead until they left. The damage done to you physically and mentally immediately made you be honourably discharged, and led you where you were now- trying to get your life together, and hoping to find a support system and some friends in this group. And you did, because as soon as the session ended and everyone started to grab their things, Steve walked over to you and asked where abouts you were located, and if you wanted to meet up with him on a later date, which you agreed to. 

You’d had a few small dates together, usually on his breaks or later in the day after work, but today was a full day together, just the two of you, enjoying each other’s company. The day had started out sort of how your dates usually went- meeting at the coffee shop right between both of your places, a good place to meet up and the coffee was decent as well. After that, you went for a walk around the city, visited a park, saw a movie, got dinner, and then decided to go back to yours to watch an older film that you’d been talking about for a while that you wanted to show him, and Steve wanted to get the references finally. 

“Make yourself at home, I’ll get the popcorn in the microwave- do you want a drink?” You asked, dashing off to the kitchen in your little apartment, leaving Steve to look around the room. You had photos of family on the wall between the two windows in your living room, above where your couch was pressed against the wall, facing the television on the same wall as the front door. It was a small space, but since it was only meant to be for you, it made sense, and when you’ve spent time in a cramped barracks with other soldiers, big spaces feel almost dangerous. Steve pulled himself away from his examination to follow you into the tiny kitchen to look at his options for drinks. “Help yourself to anything.” You offered, opening the fridge to him to see in before going into your cupboards to grab a bowl for the popcorn. “How about some other snacks? I have some in that cupboard next to the fridge.” You told him, before going to check the space yourself for anything you wanted yourself.

BANG. 

The sound immediately had Steve’s attention. It sounded distant, outside, maybe 50 feet or so away, but no further, definitely on the street. There was silence for a moment, though Steve’s attention stayed focused outside the kitchen, stood straight and alert. 

BANG

Another one, but this one was quickly followed by several others. Steve lost count, but there was at least 5. It was a distinctive sound that not many things could replicate, and one of the things that could make that exact sound was a gun. Gunfire. 

Steve’s years of training kicked in, and he immediately went to investigate the sounds. He wanted to check out the window first, see if he could get any visuals before even attempting to leave the complex to ensure it’s safe, but he only got to the doorway of the kitchen before another round were unleashed, and he felt hands on his shoulder, pulling him down to the floor, and back into the kitchen. Steve looked back at you, and he was immediately aware of something. While he’d had an immediate response due to his training, you were having an immediate response due to your trauma. You heard gunshots, and your mind was immediately brought back to that patrol that took you out of action and killed your friends. Your eyes were wide, fumbling, trying to pull Steve to the corner of the kitchen to hide, to keep him safe, to keep him alive. However, by simply stabling himself he was able to fight back. “Y/N. Y/N look at me.” He spoke to you, holding onto you to stop you moving. “It’s alright. I’m not gonna go far, I’ll stay away from the windows. Stay here.” He instructed firmly but quietly. 

“No- you- I can’t lose you-”

“Y/N. We’re safe here. The door’s locked, we’re high up, I’ll turn the lights off, they won’t see me. It will be 15 seconds, I promise. Count to 15.” He told you. You seemed to somewhat be able to gather yourself, at least a little bit, as you shut your eyes, and he saw your lips move, starting to count down. Steve removed himself from you, remaining as low as he could as he moved swiftly out of the kitchen, heading over to the light switch, and turned off the lights, before heading towards the window. He glanced outside at an angle, looking for anything, and then there were more bangs. He heard you whimper from the other room, but he also got answers. As he looked at the street below, he saw people. Teenagers. With fireworks, running down the street, shooting them up at the sky and down the street. Stupid kids messing around with things they shouldn’t have, but it was better than active shooters. With that, Steve stood up, and walked back to the kitchen, finding you with your hands over your ears, still counting down, but noticeably more stressed than when he left you as you got closer to zero. Steve knelt down, putting a hand on your shoulder, and you stopped counting down, and looked up at him. “It’s fireworks. Kids with fireworks. It’s safe” 

“Fireworks? Are you sure?” You asked. Steve nodded, taking your hand, leading you out the kitchen in time to see the night sky outside light up with colour as more fireworks went off, and the distant sound of the kids laughing was heard, as well as a car alarm. You took a shaky breath in and out, before deflating. Steve put an arm around you, almost worried you were gonna pass out, yet you somehow managed to stay up. 

“I… I thought I was getting better. I thought I’d be able to tell the difference between a gun and fireworks.” 

“I thought it was a gun as well.” Steve assured you, walking you over to the couch to sit down. “It happens to all of us. It happens to me a lot. You don’t know something’s gonna set you off until it happens sometimes. It’s not your fault.” He reminded you. He knew exactly what you were feeling- of course he did. He also knew the best way to get over these incidents- instead of lingering, it was easier to move onto what you were planning to do. Not to forget it happened and pretend it’s not there, but to not draw more attention to this thing you can’t fix then and there, making it a minor blip rather than a day ruiner. “I’ll go get that popcorn. You get the film ready.” Steve told you, heading back to the kitchen, before pausing and turning and leaning back to see you. “Hey.” He called, and you looked over at him. “What drink do you want?” The question, a mimic of your earlier question, got you to crack a smile, before Steve disappeared into the kitchen.

Hope you like it! If you have any questions, please send them in! 

*Not my gif

TAGS:  @klanceiscannon14​ @marvelhoeingismyhobby-blog​ @bellamyblakemorley @dummiesshort  @freyathehuntress​  @abbybills22-blog​ @mutantjediavenger​ @theoraekensnotsosecretlover​ @alicedanganh @sleutherclaw @sleepy-coffee-bean @stawwpp  @dailyteambucky​ @mxrvelsaos​ @insanityismysanity12345​  @rebellionofthecattle   @hello-love-youre-pretty  @courtneychicken​  @graysonmalfoy​ @bellero​ @originalpottervengerlock​ @supernatural-pan​ @esoltis280​ @lady-of-lies​ @lenaswritingandstuff @macbetheliza @mandywholock1980​ @cdwmtjb8​ @caswinchester2000​ @determinedpines​ @huntheimpossible @automaticbakeryfreakshoe​

#marvel #Avengers #Steve Rogers #captain america #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x male!reader #x reader #x male reader #reader #male!reader #oneshot #writing #story writing #question #request #ask questions #ask me anything #send me questions #send me asks #send me anything

[ao3feed-stony]

Bad Connection

by snazzyerin

They were in the middle of a mission when he got the call. He didn’t even explain where he was going, or mention that he was leaving the team to finish the job without him.

“Hey, Sam. Do me a favor and let everyone here know that I’m outta here. I need to go check something out” was all Tony had to say before ditching his friends.

This mission was a bit of an all-hands-on-deck situation, one that required most of the team, including the big brain of Mr. Stark himself. The small complication with Tony’s presence being necessary; Tony was supposed to be benched with Steve, who was creeping close to the any day now stage. Though Tony refused to leave the side of his little family, Cap was adamant that Tony should go. Their agreement to settle on was to leave Steve home, but someone on the team had to be benched in place of Tony. Upon being asked, Bucky had no problem staying home with his closest friend and his soon-to-be nephew. - The team is introduced to the kid, but with a surprise. Thats it. Just a wholesome little story.

Words: 1193, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Marvel 616, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, M/M

Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, Peter Parker & Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Avengers Team

Additional Tags: Superfamily | Steve Rogers/Tony Stark Parenting Peter Parker, Pregnant Steve Rogers, Mpreg, Post Mpreg, Implied Mpreg, Fluff and Humor, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Peter Parker is Steve Rogers's Biological Child, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent Tony Stark, Baby Peter Parker

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/45361558

#stony #steve rogers #tony stark #iron man #captain america #fan fiction #ao3 stony feed #stony fan

[hawksonfire]

The Avengers make a bet...

“It was really good of Tony to organize this,” Bucky says, leaning against the wall beside Clint. 

“Yeah,” Clint agrees, pushing his bunny ears up on his head. “The kids at the hospital don’t get to get out much, but hopefully we can make this a ton of fun for them. And their costumes are amazing too!”

“Did you see the one with a tiny bow and arrow?” Bucky asks, smirking. “You’ve got a couple fans in here, Hawkeye.”

“So do you, Winter Soldier,” Clint teases, gesturing at the two kids all dressed up like the Winter Soldier. “And I even saw another Bucky somewhere.”

Bucky flushes a bit, nudging Clint’s shoulder. “Don’t you have an announcement to make?”

“Damn. Alright!” Clint claps his hands loudly, drawing all attention to him. “We’re going to split you into groups now, so make sure you go to your Avenger!” The kids all erupt into cheers, parts of costumes flying into the air haphazardly. 

All the kids in the room stare at him as he starts pairing them off—most of them go to Steve and Tony, which is honestly hilarious to watch. Neither of those two have any idea how to act around children, especially children that idolize them. 

Nat gets a good amount as well, including one adorable little girl in a wheelchair who’s dressed up as Captain America on a motorcycle. The kids that Clint puts with Bruce all requested him specifically, and when Bruce hulks out after a little prodding, all the kids are delighted.

Even though he doesn’t really understand this holiday, Thor gets absolutely mobbed with small children who are dressed like him or Loki, and in one case, a butterfly. “These are all amazing disguises,” he booms, lifting five children into the air with one arm. “My brother would most appreciate this holiday filled with trickery and mischief!”

The remaining few children are split pretty evenly between Sam, Bucky, and Clint himself. Clint crouches down in front of his small group and grins widely at them, signing along as he speaks. “Our mission tonight is to get the most candy out of any of the groups,” he says seriously. “Do you think you can handle being Avengers for a night?”

Kai, one of the kids dressed up as Hawkeye, grins toothily and signs a big ‘yes’. A pudgy little hand slips into Clint’s and he grins as the rest of the kids all shout in excitement. 

“Here we go!” Clint says, leading his group out the door. They’ve got all the Stark Industries employees who wanted to be here being paid overtime to hand out candy to the kids, to give them the truest Halloween experience SI can manage, which is pretty damn nice. 

The night is a whirlwind of corralling kids and checking candy for allergies and making sure every kid is smiling, but by the end of it, every kid’s bag is full. Clint feels a little tug on his hand, and he looks down to see Kai beaming up at him. Thank you, they sign, throwing their little arms around Clint’s leg for a big hug before running off to greet their parents and show off their candy. 

After the kids are all gone, Tony calls for the team’s attention. “Jarvis? Final stats, please!”

“Very well, sir,” Jarvis says. “In first place, with 332 pieces of candy, Team Spider.”

A chorus of cheers goes up—minus Tony, who boos—as Nat stands and bows, graciously accepting the bottle of primo Russian vodka that was the first prize. 

“In second place, with a total of 314 pieces of candy, Team Patriotism.”

Steve blushes as he stands up and bows. “Next year, Tony doesn’t get to pick the team names.”

“In third place, we have Team Thunder with 292 pieces of candy. In fourth, Teams Smash and Squawk are tied with 282 pieces of candy. And with a three-way tie for fifth place, Teams Robocop, Birdbrain, and The Best Team Ever, with 275 pieces of candy.”

“How did I come in last place?” Tony cries indignantly. 

“Perhaps because you kept eating the candy, sir,” Jarvis says dryly. “There’s always next year.”

Tony grumbles and sits back down, pouting as he snuggles into Steve’s side. 

“Sorry you lost,” Bucky says, turning to Clint with a grin. 

Clint shrugs, and holds up a big bag of candy. “All good, I went back and snuck another few pieces after we left each door. Told Jarvis not to count them because they were for me.”

“You gonna share those with anyone in particular?” Bucky asks, eyeing the bag hungrily. 

“Depends on if you can meet my price,” Clint says slyly. “Each candy costs a kiss.”

Bucky grins at him, leaning in and kissing him. “I think I can handle that,” he murmurs, coming away with a piece of candy in his hands.

Clint grins at him. Man, Halloween is the best.

for @winterhawkbingo - Square B2: Halloween Costumes & Halloween Prompt: Whoever gets the most candy wins.

#hawkie writes #winterhawk #whbingor4

[ao3feed-sambucky]

Bad Connection

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/45361558

by snazzyerin

They were in the middle of a mission when he got the call. He didn’t even explain where he was going, or mention that he was leaving the team to finish the job without him.

“Hey, Sam. Do me a favor and let everyone here know that I’m outta here. I need to go check something out” was all Tony had to say before ditching his friends.

This mission was a bit of an all-hands-on-deck situation, one that required most of the team, including the big brain of Mr. Stark himself. The small complication with Tony’s presence being necessary; Tony was supposed to be benched with Steve, who was creeping close to the any day now stage. Though Tony refused to leave the side of his little family, Cap was adamant that Tony should go. Their agreement to settle on was to leave Steve home, but someone on the team had to be benched in place of Tony. Upon being asked, Bucky had no problem staying home with his closest friend and his soon-to-be nephew. - The team is introduced to the kid, but with a surprise. Thats it. Just a wholesome little story.

Words: 1193, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Marvel 616, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, Peter Parker & Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Avengers Team, James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson

Additional Tags: Superfamily | Steve Rogers/Tony Stark Parenting Peter Parker, Pregnant Steve Rogers, Mpreg, Post Mpreg, Implied Mpreg, Fluff and Humor, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Peter Parker is Steve Rogers's Biological Child, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent Tony Stark, Baby Peter Parker

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/45361558

#Bucky #Captain America #Winter Soldier #Sam Wilson #James Barnes #Falcon #SamBucky #BuckySam #IFTTT

[jimblejamblewritings]

falling for the captain | part 8.

Summary: Captain Y/N L/N. Leader of the Avengers on Earth-563, not really a family or team strictly just coworkers. A lot of responsibility for someone only nineteen. What happens when the Captain finds herself on “Earth Earth” in the compound of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Stuck on Earth for the time being, Y/N sees what these Avengers are about. And Captain America finds himself falling for this leader, even though her age is throwing him… that and the fact no one knows if she’ll head back to Earth-563 the minute she can.

Warnings: AGE GAP (clear from the summary, it’s a young reader but legal), smut

Pairing: Steve Rogers x reader

Word Count: 7.4k

Previous Part | (Series Masterlist)

“Where were you two?” Sam asked when you walked into Clint’s house. “Steve, we sent you to go find her, not both of you disappear.”

“My fault. I made Steve go riding with me. Clint, this place is awesome.”

“I’m glad someone on the team thinks so.”

You shared the blanket with Steve that night at the bonfire. Apparently, last time they were at the farm Steve chopped so much wood they had bonfires every night just to go through it. Now the pile was almost gone— although Steve told Laura he would chop more tomorrow for them, albeit a normal amount this time. It took everything in Steve’s power not to wrap his arm around your waist or pull you in close.

However, he couldn’t stop himself from constantly looking at you. Bucky watched as Steve, who had gotten hot, wrapped the whole blanket around you so he could cool off causing you to purse your lips. Steve pursed his lips back to make fun of you. It wasn’t unusual for you two, you and Steve had been joined at the hip since the fundraiser ball but something was different.

~~

“You’re drooling, doll.”

You were sitting on a pile of chopped wood while Steve was working. After feeding the chickens, you had grabbed a water bottle to bring out to Steve. The pile was already starting to get very big. You didn’t realize that when Steve offered to chop wood for the farm he would be using his bare hands. It was hot. You actually put your hand to your mouth to check making Steve laugh.

“Not my fault. I can openly check you out now.”

“You been checking me out a lot?”

“How can I not? You wear those too tight shirts when we train, makes me distracted.”

“You distract me too, (Y/N). Wearing those shorts on the treadmill.”

Steve pulled you up from the pile. If you weren’t out in the open he would’ve kissed you. So he squeezed both your hands. You watched Steve’s eyes go from your lips to your hair. This wasn’t the first time you’ve caught him looking at your hair in fascination. The two of you stopped holding hands and walked into Clint’s house.

~~

You opened a portal back to the compound.

“I want a farm now,” you said as you closed the portal.

Clint patted you on the back. “Well now you know where the farm is, you’re free to visit anytime.”

“Really? Thanks Clint! Stevie, spa day.”

“Yeah, Stevie,” Sam smirked.

Tony called a meeting in the living room after you and Steve walked off. The rest of the Avengers sat around the living room couches.

“Okay those two will be in the spa all day. Can we talk about Steve actually using the spa…”

“Well, (Y/N)’s got his skin glowing,” Nat joked.

“So what exactly is going on with Capsicle and Short-stack? I’m not the only one who sees, well I don’t really know what I see but it’s something.”

The team agreed. Bucky wasn’t going to just immediately air out his friend’s business. At least he wasn’t till Natasha and Wanda brought up girls’ night when they had all left on a mission. He told them the gist of he and Steve’s conversation in the gym, leaving out the part where he kissed you in the morning.

“So when he did our nails… that was totally because he got caught doing hers.”

“He’s really not going to tell her?” Peter asked.

“Well, you can’t blame, Cap. If she’s not into him, that’ll make the team dynamic awkward. (Y/N) said it herself that she doesn’t date team members,” Wanda offered.

“You think she likes him back?”

“Oh please, she does even if she won’t admit it. She drags him to the spa and they do everything in Steve’s notebook together.”

“But does that mean anything?” Sam asked. “The notebook, they’re both out of their time and catching up. The spa, is that flirting or just nineteen year old things?”

Tony held a vote. After lots of discussion the team decided that the bets would fall into multiple categories: The first category with $10 on the line, did you like Steve back

(Nat, Tony, Wanda, Bucky, and Bruce said yes. Peter, Vision, Thor, Clint, and Sam said no).

Second category with $20, who would ask who first.

(Despite saying no, Peter, Clint, and Sam said you would. Wanda and Tony also said you. Bucky, Nat, Thor, Vision, and Bruce said Steve would)

Third for $40, when are the two of you going to start dating.

(Bruce and Vision said never. Peter and Sam said under two months. Nat also chose under two months. Wanda, Bucky, and Tony thought three to six months. Thor and Clint said seven+)

“Alright, everyone put the money in this box. This ends if nine months go by, then the people who said never win. F.R.I.D.A.Y.”

“Yes, Mr. Stark?”

“Keep note of the bets.”

“Understood.”

~~

“I thought you wanted us to go to the spa,” Steve said when he noticed you press the button to your floor instead of the spa level.

“We are. I did this once with my ex-boyfriend… I thought it would be fun for a more at-home spa.”

You told Steve to go in his room and change into comfortable clothes while you got the supplies from yours. When you entered Steve’s room, you didn’t expect the look you saw. It was all very dark colors, mainly navy blue. For someone so artistic, Steve’s room was dark and neutral. You were obsessed with the wall his bed was against— it was just a window that spanned the whole wall since he had a room at the end of the hall. Steve also had a TV. You had considered buying a TV but the only place to put it would cover Steve’s mural and you wanted to see the whole thing.

“Are we doing music or TV?” he asked.

“Music, more like a real spa.”

“We could do Bruce’s lab work playlist. I’m pretty sure it’s all slow songs.”

“Do you not want to continue the list? I think I added a suggestion from the coffee shop barista to the back of it.”

Steve chuckled. He wasn’t sure how to bring it up but since you mentioned the notebook first… “I saw you added a few things to the back of the list. The way back.”

Your eyes went a little wide. You were grateful Steve couldn’t see a blush on you because the way it felt you were sure your entire face would’ve been red. Were you really about to play dumb and act like you don’t know what he’s talking about? Absolutely.

“Yeah mainly single songs that we skipped from artists we already listened to. Did you know we skipped a whole Green Day album by accident. And Coldplay’s Sky Full of Stars.”

Poor choice of words.

“Hmm, I saw the stars,” Steve said as he stepped closer to you. He gently drummed his fingers against your arm. “I didn’t think you’d star in the suit.”

“Oh, look, I-I, I forgot snacks. I’ll be back.”

You portaled into the common room where the rest of the team had suddenly gotten quiet.

“What are you guys talking about?”

“Nothing, Short-stack. Thought you and Capsicle were at the spa.” Tony eyed the fact that you were sweats, not a bathing suit.

“Forgot snacks. I thought we had those long crazy straws… where are the raspberries.”

“Straws in the back of the pantry, raspberries in the freezer.”

“Thank you, Tony.”

They watched you pile things into your arms and a bag of tortilla chips in your mouth, closing the fridge with your foot before walking away. Tony told you to not drag crumbs into the spa and you just laughed.

“Does she eat raspberries?”

“No. But Steve does,” Bucky said.

“Can I change my bet?” Thor asked.

Steve took the food from you and set it down in a corner of his bed where it wouldn’t spill (he didn’t say anything else about the notebook when you returned). You picked through the tools while Steve washed his face with the cleanser you told him to. Steve sat on the edge of the bed with you looking through everything.

“This is more steps than the spa. You do all this?”

“How else am I supposed to glow? I like to look good.”

He kissed your cheek. “You’re always glowing to me.”

“That was your worst line yet, Rogers.”

You smiled as Steve kissed your cheek again before you turned so he would press a kiss to your closed lips. He picked up an eye cream which you set down and held up the jade roller. Steve really knew nothing. You wondered how the hell he had decent skin with a five-in-one cleanser and no concept of facials.

You looked over at the rest of the bed. The edge wasn’t going to be enough space to do anything. You stood up rather abruptly. You had just started sleeping in a bed again but it was the small single on Clint’s farm and by yourself. It wasn’t even sleeping but…

“I can’t… the bed.”

Steve stood up and wordlessly started to move everything off the bed and to the floor. It took less than a minute. He grabbed the large decorative pillow so you had something to sit on. Steve laid on his back in front of you, head in your lap. He couldn’t help the little moans that escaped his mouth as you gently massaged his face. It’s not everyday you get a facial laced with magic. He almost fell asleep as well— your gentle singing to all the slow songs F.R.I.D.A.Y. had queued up.

“What smell do you want?”

You had the bowl of hot water ready to dip a towel in for face steaming. Steve looked at all your essential oils.

“What goes with you?”

“Hmm.”

“You always smell like vanilla and something else.”

“Shea butter.” You didn’t realize he paid that much attention.

“Shea butter,” Steve repeated. “What goes with that?”

“Hmm? Cinnamon or maybe lemongrass?”

Steve thought for a moment before choosing lemongrass. The hot towel on his face knocked him out, the whole situation was too relaxing and domestic. You listened to Steve’s soft snores. He didn’t wake up even as you put on the clay mask. You played gently with his hair while waiting for the mask to harden up.

Bucky was surprised to hear music coming from the room floor. He thought you and Steve were down at the spa but the music clearly stated otherwise. He walked past your room to see the door open and Goose napping on the bed. Just Goose. Bucky stalked back to his room. You were in Steve’s room. He was sure of it.

Steve woke up as you put lotion on his face. You leaned over and kissed him. He agreed to the lip sugar scrub but wouldn’t let you touch his eyebrows. That was too much for Steve, he had already done at least six more steps in his routine than he was used to. Your kimoyo beads vibrated. Steve was dead silent as you held your wrist above his head and the hologram of Okoye showed up.

He was lost as the two of you spoke Xhosa to each other. This wasn’t the first time he was lost or most of the team when it came to you, either you were talking to the Wakandans in Xhosa, or Nat and Bucky in Russian, and when you and Buck were talking shit about everyone else it was in German. He perked up when he heard his name followed by laughter. Steve looked up at you. He was caught off-guard when you dropped your hand on his chest and he was staring Okoye in the face. Steve awkwardly smiled, making Okoye snicker before the hologram disappeared.

“I thought you didn’t want to tell anyone.”

“Okoye won’t tell.”

“What were you two talking about?”

“About me coming to Wakanda for a trip. They want to see what I’m like surrounded by vibranium.”

“And?”

“Setting me up with her nephew… and how you’ll stick out like a sore thumb if you come with me.”

The corners of Steve’s lips pulled up slightly. You could’ve told Okoye any lie to avoid going on a date with her nephew but you chose to, actually wanted to, tell her the truth. That you and him were together.

~~

The team had the hardest time figuring out the deal between you and Steve. It wasn’t easy when you had a certain dynamic with him since the day you arrived at the compound. They were waiting for him to slip up and kiss you or for you to call him something more affectionate than Stevie. The people who betted against the whole thing were feeling pretty confident in their winnings.

“I’m telling you, she doesn’t like him.” Clint and Sam high-fived from the treadmills.

“I swear I saw her wink at him during training yesterday,” Wanda said as she stretched on a yoga mat.

“So we’re supposed to go based on a supposed wink? Bucky, you live on their floor.”

“Never seen either of them go in or out of each other’s rooms. Doors are usually closed… where you headed, Lucky Lou?”

You had walked into the training room with a small backpack.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. said you guys were doing group training, I came to say bye. I’m going to Wakanda for a few days, four or five, vibranium stuff. I’ll be back for the meeting Fury scheduled. See you later. Peter, we’re having movie time when I get back. I saw The Notebook was on Netflix.”

You disappeared on them.

“Shit, Clint and Sam might be winning,” Nat muttered. “She’s gonna watch The Notebook with you. You don’t watch The Notebook with someone else if you have a boyfriend.”

Not even a minute later, Steve came bounding in.

“Buck, I was looking for you. When is (Y/N)’s birthday? Said I would decorate her door for her a while ago, thinking about making it a present.”

“How am I supposed to kn— six days. We had lemon cake one year. Six days, I’m sure of it.”

“Was Short-stack just going to let her birthday pass and not tell us? Oh this won’t do. Nope, throwing a big surprise party for her when she gets back.”

“Thanks, Buck.”

“Steve. (Y/N) left. Said she’s headed to Wakanda for a couple days.”

“That’s fine, don’t need doll here to do a door. Oh, I’m actually leaving tomorrow. You know that girl from that one bar a few months ago.” Steve scratched the back of his head. “I’ll be in Brooklyn for a couple days.”

“You’ll be here for Short-stack’s birthday though?”

“Yeah Tony just text me and I’ll make sure I get in.”

Steve left the training room and they were even more befuddled.

“So he calls her doll in one breath and tells us he’s about to go bang some woman from the bar in another,” Sam said utterly confused.

Steve hoped his lie was good enough to buy him a few days off the compound at the same time as you. He wouldn’t meet you till tomorrow— once you got to Wakanda you’d be able to open a portal to Steve’s room. The door was a perfect surprise.

He had been watching as you tried to put up decorations to off-balance the acrostic ‘captain’ poem on the left side but you kept taking them down. Steve opened his phone and scrolled through the photos he took of you. He picked his favorite and one you had approved of (saying that if he had an Instagram you would let him post it). He gridded out the portrait and started to sketch it.

~~

One of your eyes was purple. That was the first thing Steve noticed when he entered the portal you opened in his room. One was (e/c) and the other was purple. He didn’t say anything when he saw you avoiding his gaze but just lifted your chin. You kissed Steve and when he pulled away he saw sparks. Literally. Your hair was pulsing electric beams before going back to normal. That was one thing you were hoping wouldn’t happen like on 563. It was hard to not show your feelings when your hair exposed you and now Steve just saw exactly what he does to you, how he makes you feel.

“It, um, it does that sometimes.”

Your powers were impressive. They already thought that but when everyone could see you at full capacity, it was clear how much power you had.

“I told you I was basically magnetically charged.”

“I know,” Shuri started. “But none of us realized that meant actual lightning.”

Wakanda was something Steve didn’t know he needed. He could wake up every morning and knock on your door without having to avoid palace guards. He could hold your hand in the marketplace and no one knew anything about anything. You liked it too, none of the looks were focused on you. Just Steve.

You were laying on Steve’s chest while he drew small circles on your shoulder blade. It was late and you had another session with Shuri and T’Challa so you reluctantly started to get up.

“Wait, stay.” Steve saw you eye the bed. “We can stay on the floor. Make a little mat.”

“I’d like that… you should’ve said something earlier, Steve” you whined. “Now I have to get my hair stuff.”

“Do you have to?”

“Steve, how dare you even ask that question. Do you know what would happen if I don’t… Defcon 1, Steve. Armageddon.”

Steve watched you come back with hair products that he knew absolutely nothing about. The only one he recognized was the leave-in because once you opened it, the familiar shea butter scent graced his nose. He looked at your fingers expertly braid up your hair and then cover it. The feeling of this was new to you. The team had never seen you like this. Your hair was always done before you left your room in the mornings and if you were getting something at night after you had already done it, you portaled in and out before people noticed. It was oddly intimate having Steve watch you, especially because he wouldn’t tear his eyes away. The two of you slept holding hands and facing each other but with distance in between you so you felt safe.

“It looks spicy.”

“There’s only red bell peppers, I promise. It’s jollof rice.”

The two of you were at a market stall. Steve slowly accepted the sample spoon you fed him. It was good and you were right, not spicy. You ordered two small plates and water. You and Steve dug in while continuing through the market.

~~

You folded the Basotho Heritage Blanket that T’Challa gave you across your bed. You had portaled Steve into his room and were now unpacking in yours. Steve knocked three times on the top left corner of your door and once on the right. His knock so you knew it was him. You opened the door dressed for the meeting.

“Are you going to go through the portal with me or be boring and take the car?”

“I think the portals are only when necessary for me. Makes me feel weird.”

“That would be the momentary particle rearrangement, like the vibranium powder in my beads.”

“Yeah, definitely only when necessary.”

“Suit yourself, Captain. Let’s get this meeting done so I can finish my book.”

You had said it so casually yet it still affected him. Steve wasn’t sure if being called ‘Captain’ was a real kink of his or just when you said it.

“Would’ve finished if you hadn’t portaled into Peter’s room immediately for a movie. Can’t have it both ways.”

“I’ve been eyeing The Notebook for a few days now. How was I supposed to ignore it?”

“I know, I know. Meeting, let’s go.”

You went to close your door when you saw it. There was a sketch of you in the blank space on your door that you had been wanting decorated for a while. It wasn’t as complex as a fully shaded charcoal piece but it wasn’t as simple as those caricatures that street artists do (although Steve has drawn your face with all the shading in a sketch pad he had yet to show you).

“Happy early birthday. Bucky told me it was tomorrow.”

You wrapped Steve up in a hug. Bucky, who was coming to grill Steve about hooking up with some random woman after he heard he was back, stepped out of his room to see the tail end of you and Steve’s embrace. His friend’s hands were on your waist even as you stepped away. You spotted Bucky first.

“Buck! Look at Steve’s present.”

Bucky walked over. Steve slowly removed his hands trying not to look suspicious. Bucky looked at the door. Steve’s work wasn’t bad. Bucky knew he was about to be an asshole but maybe this would get him some answers.

“Didn’t expect you back from Brooklyn this early, Steve. Did the lady kick you out?”

“Lady?” you asked.

“I was in Brooklyn for a couple days… girl from the bar,” Steve said sheepishly.

“Are you telling me Stevie finally got laid!”

“Haha, very funny.” Steve rolled his eyes.

“Bucky, you coming by portal with me? Steve’s being boring and taking the car.”

“I’m good on portals too.”

“Suit yourselves, see you in a minute.”

You opened up a portal on the floor for dramatic effect and fell through it. Bucky side-eyed his friend as they walked to the elevators. You hadn’t batted an eyelash at his words. So was Steve telling the truth about Brooklyn? But then why the hell were his hands on you that long? And Bucky was almost sure you were leaning in to kiss Steve before you noticed him.

“So how long is this mission supposed to take, exactly?” Tony asked.

“You have better things to do, Tony?” you asked.

“As a matter of fact, I actually do Short-stack. Not just an Avenger, some of us run businesses.”

“Right, my bad Mr. Stark Industries,” you said, sarcastically.

Fury stopped you and Tony’s banter. “Should only take tonight, Tony. If you can be smart about it. Thanks to (Y/N) we actually got a lot of information on Project Beetle.”

Project Beetle was genocide by insect infestation. More specifically, partial genocide. S.H.I.E.L.D. still wasn’t sure if there were any connections to HYDRA but they would stop it either way. They were constructing artificial pollen to place in specific types of flowers. The poison had to be created in a way that didn’t kill the plants and didn’t massively affect the beetles that ate and lived in them.

But it would be deadly to humans that got bit by them. And Abel wasn’t lying when he said he was working on a vaccine. After who they wanted to die was killed off, Project Beetle would hold the vaccines over the heads of nations’ leaders until they were given what they wanted. Whether that was money, power, partial control of their legislature through backdoors. Project Beetle could submit the world to their whim. But they needed all the parts working correctly before they launched anything.

“They work on everything in separate parts and separate factories. We’ve located one so far. Two tasks, if there is any intel, find it so Dr. Banner can start trying to get ahead of them. Second, destroy everything.”

“Any capture, Director?” you asked.

“If you can. Captain, how would you like to approach this?”

Steve removed his hand from yours and brought it up from underneath the table to point at the layout of the factory and go over detailing with the team. The factory was near a previous mission so you’d be able to portal everyone there and back, not even needing the quinjet to arrive. Once in, Bruce would be smuggled by Natasha and Peter into where you thought the computers were. They’d be in charge of transferring and destroying files. The rest of you would be on a slash and burn throughout the factory.

The factory didn’t even look like a factory but a library. If all of Project Beetle’s operations looked like this, it would take S.H.I.E.L.D a while to locate them all. You couldn’t exactly burn down every library, museum, or church building and hope it was under Project Beetle.

You knew the factory would be armed but the onslaught took you all off guard. You dropped a portal for Natasha, Bruce, and Peter. Because you hadn’t been in the factory before, you couldn’t be exact and so the portal just opened to a random floor based on the blueprints from the meeting. You hoped it was close enough to the computers for them.

You were making progress through the library destroying anything that looked like a test tube or chemical. Clint was using arrows to pin potential hostages while Sam rounded them up and threw them in portals you created that led to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s prison cells.

Peter, Bruce, and Natasha ran back upstairs. A guard came at Natasha so she threw the file to Vision who was promptly the new target. Being the only other person who could fly and with your portals, Vision threw it to you. You were high above everyone and opened a tiny portal for the file to go through before suddenly you were falling. One of the guards had shot arrows through your bracelet and anklet on the left side, pulling them off and leaving wounds on your wrist and ankle.

The whole team watched you start to fall as a bunch of guards trained their weapons on you, you were about to be the easiest target. Steve threw his shield as hard and fast as he could. The throw placed enough vibranium under you that you could quickly portal yourself to the ground where your beads were laying and the bullets the guards fired just missed. However it also left Steve wide open and he took a heavy hit to the jaw. You scooped up the beads and ran to Steve’s shield.

“STEVE!”

You threw it as best as you could. Everyone looked as lightning hit Steve’s shield and the guard that was fighting him. But it wasn’t from Thor. It was from you. Your hair was emitting small sparks, you could feel the vibranium from Steve’s shield as you had thrown it. The kinetic energy from the throw had charged you up enough that for a brief moment it was like you were in Wakanda. Steve looked at you and threw the shield again, this time angling it so it would bounce back like usual. You caught on, floating above and as it passed under feet you rapid fire shot out magic balls charged with lightning at most of the guards that were still fighting leaving everyone only having to fight one or two guards in front of them.

“What was that?” Bruce asked when you all arrived back in the compound.

“The shield was in motion.”

“Kinetic energy,” Bruce finished for you. “Supercharge to the vibranium.”

“You’ve got any other hidden talents Short-stack? And um the sparky hair…”

The team jumped as you blinked, except for Steve. Your eye had turned purple as you tried to get rid of the charge in your hair. You frowned as you still felt charged up. You rather have had the sparky hair rather than the purple eye but you didn’t exactly know how to move the charge back and forth through your body. Nothing was an exact science. It’s not like you ever tested or experimented on yourself.

“It’ll settle eventually maybe.”

“(Y/N)?” Wanda pointed to your eye.

“Yeah. I know. They’re normally both purple on 563.”

You didn’t like them looking. They were only focused on the purple eye even if they were acting like they were looking at both eyes.

“The weird purple thing permanent?”

“I. Don’t. Know. You don’t have to keep staring, I get it. It’s ugly.”

“Wait no we—”

You had already disappeared on them, into your room.

“Way to go you guys. I’ll go talk to her. It’s late, we should all get some sleep anyway.” Steve walked away leaving the rest of them confused.

Steve was about to knock on your door when he heard the turn of the shower head. He decided to go shower and change himself. You still weren’t answering when Steve had gotten out and knocked. Maybe you had fallen asleep? So Steve went into the kitchen to get some ice for his jaw. Was getting punched in the face worth it to help you? Of course, but he was really starting to feel it now.

“I was looking for you. Knocked on your door,” Steve said when he saw you at the fridge.

“I got thirsty.” You held up the lemonade.

“You know that’s mine, doll.”

Steve’s voice was deep and laced with sleep, going straight to your core. You cleared your throat.

“I don’t see your name on it, Captain… you’re hurt.”

You tilted Steve’s jaw up and he hissed slightly. You set the lemonade down and grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. You held up the ice to his face. Steve looked at your face. One of your eyes was still purple. You looked away but Steve put his hand over the one you had holding the ice to his face.

“They didn’t mean it like that (Y/N). It caught them by surprise that’s all.”

“It hasn’t gone away yet, you put a lot of power behind those stupid throws.”

“You want it gone?”

“If it’s just the one. It looks ugly like this, you all won’t stop staring.”

“Everyone’s staring cause you’re beautiful.”

“You have to say that, you’re my boyfriend.”

“I mean it, boyfriend or not.”

Steve used his free hand to turn your face back to him. Steve looked down at your lips. You always initiated the kisses. He always let you initiate the kiss, let you stay in control. You nodded ever so slightly and he leaned in. The lights flickered on and without any thought you disappeared. Steve watched the portal on the floor disappear and pretended to rub his eyes and be annoyed at the sudden flood of light.

“Clint?” Steve asked as he turned around. “What are you doing up?”

“The kids called. Told me they had a present for (Y/N)’s birthday,” Clint chuckled. “Can you believe they’re actually making me go get it right now as if I don’t see them this weekend. What are you doing up?”

Steve held up the ice pack.

“Right. Hope that jaw feels better.”

Steve started to walk off before Clint called him back saying he left his drink on the counter. Your lemonade. Because it was late, he thought you were in your room so Steve almost jumped when he saw you sitting on the edge of his bed picking at your kimoyo beads. He set down the lemonade and ice pack on his desk before leaning against it.

“Clint interrupted our kiss,” you said softly, resting your elbows on your knees.

“You left me alone to cover our tracks.”

“Our tracks? I wasn’t ever in the kitchen, Steve.”

He laughed at your statement. You got up and walked over to him. Steve unfolded his arms so you could come in closer. You breathed in the fabric of his shirt. It smelled like fresh linens and…

“You stole my lemongrass oil. That’s where it went.”

“Guilty, I’ll replace it for you.”

You shook your head. “Never used it much anyway. I like it better on you.”

You kissed him. Steve’s hands instinctively went to your waist, he realized he did it first before you had made a move. He quickly went to remove them but you held his hands there. Your hands rested on his chest and as you kissed him deeper, Steve’s hands held you tighter. You moved his hands to your ass. Steve hesitated a moment, this was the first time you’d done this. And while Steve wanted nothing more than to grab your ass (he’s thought about that more than he would care to admit), he wanted you to be comfortable.

You started walking backwards making him walk too if he wanted to keep his lips on yours. The back of your knees hit the bed and you slowly fell back. Steve’s hands were forced to leave you as you repositioned yourself. You were on your knees on the mattress putting you at practically eye level with Steve if you didn’t completely sit up. You sat back on your heels.

He was going to have to walk away. The way you were looking at him, sitting back, on your knees the way you were. He wouldn’t be able to keep composure much longer, wasn’t even sure if he could handle you kissing him again. You grabbed Steve’s hand and flipped it palm open. Steve was confused until you started taking off the kimoyo beads. You placed your bracelets in his hand.

“Doll, are you sure? We d—”

“I trust you, Steve,” you said as you moved to take the ones off of your ankles. “I trust you.”

Steve took in a deep breath. He slipped two pairs of the kimoyo beads on each of his wrists so you would have them close to you at all times. You reached for the bottom of his shirt and began to pull up. Once it was off, your hands delicately traced his body. You took off your own shirt, you said you wanted this but Steve wanted to keep you in control at all times in case you changed your mind.

Your lips went back to his and Steve could feel your bare breasts against his body (he blessed whatever compelled you to almost never put a bra after your showers, not that he noticed… except he always noticed). He gently moved his hands up your body reveling in the gasp that came when both hands grabbed your boobs. The gasps you made as Steve lightly pulled on your nipples spurred him on.

“Lay down, baby.”

Doll was always your favorite nickname but the way Steve said baby had you melting in his hand doing exactly as he asked. You felt like closing your legs once you were completely naked and Steve was eye level with your pussy.

“Unh-unh, wanna see all of you.”

Steve tapped on your thigh and you opened. You shuddered as he licked a long stripe. Steve’s left hand reached back up your body to roll your nipple between his fingers. He sucked harder on your clit when you arched your back into his touch. Your hand covered the one he had on your breast. Steve knew you were close when the only things you kept mumbling were yes and his name. He smiled as you came undone; however, he wanted to see your face when you did and was hoping he could draw one more out of you.

Steve crawled up your body and you could taste yourself on him when he kissed you. He moved his hand back down watching your face very carefully as he slipped a finger inside. You reacted almost instantly, still not fully recovered from your first high. Steve sat back and added another digit, occasionally pressing his thumb to your clit. Your hair started sparking. His hand moved faster than his tongue had, which was quite a feat considering he ate you out like you were an oasis and he’d been lost in the desert for weeks. You felt yourself getting closer and grabbed his wrist to stop him. Steve watched your face, ready to back away immediately.

“Not like this, wanna cum from you, Steve. Not your hand.”

Steve kissed you and slowly grinded. You didn’t have to look down to know there was a wet spot on his sweatpants from you. After a second confirmation, Steve reached into the drawer of his side table and pulled out a condom. He laughed when you eyed him, it was the same face when you had first called him in the ring to fight. Once again, you had underestimated his size.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I want this. You.”

Steve slowly entered you. He enjoyed watching your eyes roll back as he sunk to the hilt. He stilled until you said he could move. Once he really started, Steve was worried he might finish too fast. You were warm, wet, squeezing his cock in all the right ways. And he had been fantasizing way too much about you since he saw you in Wanda’s room when you were having girls’ night. But the real thing was better. The real thing had your back arching to get closer to him. The real thing had you clawing at his back. And the real thing had you clenching around him and he knew you were close. Steve held himself with one hand and worked the other to your clit.

“Look at me, baby. Wanna look you in the eye when you cum.”

Your eyes met his. Steve came right after you. There was no way he couldn’t after you didn’t break eye-contact when you came. The sparks in your hair flared before dying down. You gasped as he pulled out. Steve chuckled when he came back with a washcloth and your eyes were closed as you laid down. You whined as Steve pulled you up.

“We’ve got to clean up.”

“You fucked me tired, Steve. No energy for this.”

“Yeah, I know. Your eye.”

Steve grabbed his phone and unlocked the camera for you to see. “Oh, you actually… well that’s one way to get rid of the extra charge.”

Steve carefully cleaned you up and when you finally had the energy to get up and pee, he handed you one of his sweatpants and shirts to change into. You walked to the desk and started to guzzle down the lemonade. Steve walked up behind you and wrapped his arms around your center. He rocked the two of you back and forth slowly as you drank. He took the kimoyo beads from around his wrists and slipped them back on your free hand. You set the drink down and told Steve you’d be back. He already knew, hair products.

“I’m glad me doing my hair is so sexy to you, Rogers.” He was staring at you braid it up again.

“It’s interesting.”

You sleepily kissed him and laid down. Steve was happy when you pulled his arm over so he would be spooning you.

~~

“Steve! Steve!”

The pounding on Steve’s door woke both of you up. Steve barely turned over to ask who it was, if they weren’t using his title it must not have been important. It was Bucky. You became alert and stilled in bed. Steve asked him what he wanted, hoping Bucky would go away because he just wanted to stay in bed with you.

“Looking for (Y/N), F.R.I.D.A.Y. said she was in your room.”

What you and Steve couldn’t see was the smirk on Bucky’s face on the other side of the door. He was about to bust you two and it felt good. You portaled back into your room, scolding F.R.I.D.A.Y. for not knowing how to cover. Steve opened his door.

“Why would she be in my room, Buck? I just woke up.”

“So she wasn’t sleeping over?”

“No, Buck. She locked herself in her room after the eye thing yesterday, wouldn’t talk.”

“Ah, okay. So F.R.I.D.A.Y. was lying? F.R.I.D.A.Y., what did you tell me five minutes ago when I asked you a question?”

“Captain Rogers is in Captain Rogers’ room.”

Steve smiled. “Told you, Buck.”

“What? I asked about (Y/N).”

“I’m sorry Sergeant Barnes. You just said Captain. I assumed it was Captain Rogers you were talking about. Captain (L/N) is currently headed to the living room having just come from a walk with Goose,” F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s robotic voice rang out.

“I could’ve sworn I said Captain (L/N),” Bucky muttered before looking at Steve. “Fine, whatever. Don’t forget, Tony wants everyone in red carpet looks for Lucky Lou’s birthday.”

Goose weaved in between your legs as the two of you walked inside. The rest of the team was in the common room. Once you made it inside, pancakes were shoved in your hand and a crown on your head.

“Happy Birthday!” They all yelled at you.

“Thanks guys… is this a real tiara?”

“Diamonds, Short-stack. Only the best. We’ve got a day planned. Your surrogate brother is your butler for the day, go get the best outfit for your party.”

“Party?”

“Yeah, tower’s gonna be jumping tonight. Drinks, snacks, DJ, the usual.” Tony shrugged into his coffee.

“No, no party. I just wanted a calm day.”

“No party?”

“Yeah. I was just going to make Steve go to the spa with me.”

The looks the team shared was not lost on you and Steve but this wasn’t weird. He was always the one who went to the spa with you. Tony conceded and canceled the party, saying you could just have a small gathering with the team like you wanted. You thanked him and sat down next to Peter for breakfast. Just like how Steve was beside himself the first time it happened, the team watched in horror as Goose jumped up on the table and spit out a present for you.

“You didn’t steal this did you?”

Goose meowed.

“It’s from 563?”

You opened the gift and petted Goose as a thank you. Breakfast wasn’t enjoyed for very long. Fury came in, briefly wishing you happy birthday before returning to business. Tony would have to put the small gathering on hold. Your whole celebration would have to be on hold. They found three more of Project Beetle’s factories overseas. It was a small cluster that S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted to hit quietly so as not to alert the other factories and plans.

“After that, whatever the hell it was, at the first factory. We’re sending in the Captains. The two of you think you can get in and out quickly?”

“How quick?” Steve asked.

“You have three weeks maximum.”

Steve looked at you. “Captain?”

Natasha picked up on it. Steve might have referred to you as ‘Captain’ in third party or call you Captain (L/N) directly but he never dropped the last name. He never addressed you solely by your title, basically deferring his authority to you. She also saw all your beads on one arm, which you honestly never did.

And then Natasha spotted your pajamas. They looked like Steve’s. The shirt you had tied up with a hair tie and the pants that you had rolled a few times on your waist and were a little long on you. Sure you could’ve taken them, everyone stole from each other. You already had three of her jackets, two of Wanda’s dresses, Bucky’s sweats, and who knows how much from Sam and Peter. But three people in the house did all their laundry separate. Clint, Tony, and Steve.

“We can probably knock the power, set some fires. Take out anyone that tries to stop us. How close are the factories to each other?” You asked.

“The scientists can walk between buildings,” Fury answered.

“Then a fire at one spreading to the others is believable. If we cut the power before we’re inside then cameras won’t pick us up. Doesn’t matter who sees us, they’ll be considered lying trying to save their own skins for losing progress.”

“Alright. It’s settled.” Steve looked at Fury. “We’re in. We’ll suit up and get to the hangar in ten. Just send us the file.”

Fury nodded. You and Steve stood up and walked away from the table.

(Part 9)...

#steve rogers x reader #marvel fic #avengers fic