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= Alexei =
The Winter Soldier is homossexual.
Alexei is sure he just made the discovery of the century. He could sell this information for a good number of zeros – except, well, they don’t do that anymore. They’re heroes now.
Bucky, their always exhausted, perpetually grumpy leader who constantly threatens the Thunderbolts’ lives and sighs in exasperation every five minutes, changes entirely every time Captain Wilson appears.
He squares his shoulders, looking all tough and serious, pretending he’s completely fine and has the team under control – oh he absolutely does not.
Alexei actually saw him tuck a strand of hair behind his ear while talking to the Captain before the mission, following Captain Wilson with his eyes wherever he went – and even when Bucky was glaring, he looked... in love.
What surprised Alexei even more was that it didn’t seem to bother Captain Wilson.
There Bucky is, nodding and agreeing with everything the Captain says, just like when he gave up the Avengers name – he’s ready to follow Sam’s orders, anything he says really.
And it’s so obvious.
Alexei is pretty sure the other Thunderbolts have noticed too, but they’re not saying anything. Yelena rolls her eyes whenever Bucky laughs at Sam’s jokes – the unfunny ones usually only Alexei laughs at. Ava frowns whenever Sam pats Bucky’s metal arm like it’s no big deal when no one touches The Arm. And when Bucky tries to compliment Sam by deadpanning, “You make the dumbest plans look good,” Walter cringes hard enough it twists his mask while Sam simply shoots back, “At least I have one!”
Bucky is trying so hard, it’s uncomfortable. He needs help. And wouldn’t it be cool to be the guy who helped the Winter Soldier get laid?
The perfect moment comes at the end of a mission, when Bucky grabs the sniper and climbs the edge of a building to check in on Captain Wilson, who’s explaining on comms that all the criminals are tied up.
Alexei sees it! It’s straight out of a romcom. The damsel in distress trope. Although, if he’d thought better about it, maybe he’d have seen the danger.
Too late. In his imagination, Captain Wilson is catching Bucky mid-fall, their eyes locked in slow motion, At Last by Etta James playing in the background.
He can see the moment Bucky senses him behind, neck snapping to the side, probably trying to stop himself from reacting violently, hoping Alexei wouldn’t actually throw him off the building.
Too bad.
Alexei shoves him. Bucky curses, falling ten stories, and Alexei watches, amazed, as Captain Wilson looks up, kicks off and soars toward him.
It’s a bit anticlimactic, though. Bucky crashes into the Captain due to sheer weight, knocking him back into the building with a pained grunt before Sam manages to steady them in the air.
And through the comms, they start arguing of course…
“What the fuck is wrong with you, Barnes?! You think you’re immortal?”
“Elevator’s off.”
“You seriously think this is funny?!”
“You’ve seen me do worse, Sam.”
“How old are you even?!”
“Enough for a little bit of respect.”
“Enough for traces of dementia.”
Well. It worked better in his imagination.
At least Sam arms are securely around Bucky, while Bucky is holding his weight around Sam’s shoulders. They’re so close they could kiss – that is, if they both weren’t leaning back so forcefully.
“Are you going to put me down or what?!”
“I don’t know, I’m still thinking about dropping you.”
“I’m taking one of your wings with me. Wouldn’t be the first time I rip them off.”
There’s a silence where Alexei hisses, wincing. Maybe this was a bad idea, okay, sure.
But then Sam starts laughing and so does Bucky and the tension breaks just like that.
“You fucking asshole.”
Huh.
Maybe not a bad idea.
[Ten Minutes Later]
“What did I tell you about pranks during missions?!” Bucky hisses, pulling Alexei by the collar and glaring at him with those cold, dead eyes.
It reminds Alexei that maybe a single guy like him shouldn’t be trying to play wingman.
“T-technically, the mission was over.”
“Do you have any idea how many corpses I buried last century that were never discovered?”
Alexei gulps.
Certainly a bad idea.
= Yelena =
“Arguing with you is exhausting.”
“Good thing I’m easy to look at,” Bucky says, not even trying to be subtle. Unfortunately for him, Sam thinks he’s being sarcastic and keeps arguing.
“Easier if you’d listen to me!”
Yelena sighs. This is sad.
“W-why are you sighing?” Bob stammers, eyes fixed on the cup he’s trying to levitate – it’s Bucky’s so he knows better than to screw this up.
“It’s okay, you’re doing fine,” Yelena says, watching Sam and Bucky argue from the kitchen, bodies leaning forward into each other to the point it should be uncomfortable. Not to them!
“I had an opening Sam!”
“You almost got yourself killed!
“You’re really underestimating my abilities.”
“I call it luck.”
God the sexual tension is palpable.
Honestly, Yelena doesn’t get why Sam doesn’t make a move. He has to have noticed Bucky’s gigantic crush. Unless he’s not interested?
Huh.
Bob loses his magical grip on the cup. Yelena catches it easily while he flinches in fear.
“I lost concentration. I’m sorry.” Bob glances at where Sam and Bucky are starting to talk over each other.
“We need to raise the stakes,” Yelena declares, pulling Bob closer to the counter and pointing towards Bucky.
“You’re going to rip Bucky’s shirt off. Not his skin okay? His shirt.”
“W-what? Why?”
“To help him out. No one stays composed when faced with Bucky Barnes’ abs.”
Bob frowns confused. “He’ll be mad.”
“Ah!” Yelena raises a finger. “Bucky is physically incapable of being mad at you. And if it gets Sam to ogle his body, he’ll be grateful. Just trust me. Rip the shirt, again, not the skin.”
Bob’s eyes widen with fear. Should Yelena be worried he might accidentally rip off skin? Probably. But Bucky’s a super soldier, he can handle it. This is for the sake of gay love.
“I’ll take the blame,” she says, offering her pinky. Bob accepts it nervously.
She turns him to face the couple. “Focus. Feel the shirt in your hands, grab it tight and Rip. It. Off.”
“This feels non-consensual…”
“Just do it, Bob. For Bucky’s sexual needs sake.”
Bob takes a deep breath, hands raised awkwardly in the air, focusing hard.
Yelena watches Bucky’s shirt start to twist. He notices it too, looks down, frowns, but looks back at Sam offended at the insinuation they almost lost because of Bucky’s heroics.
“Now,” Yelena whispers.
Bob whimpers and pulls his hands. The shirt tears off Bucky’s body dramatically, making him stumble sideways.
“Whoa,” Yelena breathes. “You actually did it.”
“I did it!” Bob exclaims.
In the living room Bucky stares at his ruined shirt in disbelief. Sam freezes, eyes wide, staring at Bucky’s chest.
Yelena narrows her eyes.
Sam’s gaze drops, then rises, then drops again, then rises again, then drops. No shame at all.
He’s gay. Boom.
“BOB!” Bucky yells.
“Shit,” Yelena curses, pulling Bob behind the counter – not that it’ll actually hide them, it’s the first searching place in the whole area.
“You said he wouldn’t be angry!” Bob hisses.
“Shhh.”
There’s a snort.
“Don’t you start,” Bucky grumbles.
Then Sam bursts into laughter – uncontrollable, wheezing, bent-over laughter.
Yelena cracks a smile. Bob grins.
“They stopped fighting,” Bob says awed.
“Told you.”
“Yelena! I know this is on you. I could shoot you through the counter, you know that.”
“Oh my God,” Sam wheezes. “Your team is crazy!”
“Don’t say…”
“What was that for?!”
“Embarrassing me?”
“I can’t breathe.”
“Could you not encourage this behavior?”
“Oh, I definitely want to encourage this behavior.”
Yelena peeks over the counter to see just how hard Bucky is blushing. But Bucky is simply frowning, clearly missing the message.
“I’m getting another shirt,” he mutters, walking away as Sam shakes his head with a grin.
“Damn it,” Yelena mutters. “Bucky is dense.”
Bob shrugs.
[Ten Minutes Later]
“What were you thinking? In front of Sam?!” Bucky is glaring at her.
“Are you really more worried about that than the fact that Bob could’ve ripped your skin off?” Yelena smirks. He glares harder.
Okay, maybe not the best idea to poke the Winter Soldier more but hey! At least Sam seems interested. Maybe he’ll make the first move now.
= Ava =
Ava wants to burn her own eyes out.
Bucky looks desperate for Sam. It hurts to watch.
Instead of jumping over to the loveseat and sitting as close to Sam as possible, throwing an arm over the backrest and draping it over Sam’s shoulders… no. He’s on the opposite armchair staring at Sam’s lips in silent longing.
He looks up when Ava enters the room, probably sensing her even invisible, but ignores her in favor of watching Sam boringly explain his next mission.
Ugh.
When is Bucky going to realize that Sam doesn’t need to visit them, doesn’t need to hang out in their living room, doesn’t need to include them in his plans. Not unless he wants to spend time with Bucky himself?
Probably never.
Fuck.
She has to do something about this.
She reappears next to the couch and Sam jumps, throwing his arms to the side.
“Jesus! What the fuck is wrong with your team?!” Sam turns to Bucky, who didn’t even flinch.
“You get numb after too many through-the-wall appearances.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“Hi Captain,” Ava says walking over and sitting way too close to Sam. Bucky’s eyes immediately zero in on the lack of space between them.
Sam doesn’t move. “You walk around invisible all the time?”
“Mostly when I’m naked,” Ava grins.
Sam lifts his brows, “Oh.”
She sneaks a glance – yep, Bucky’s glaring.
Nice.
“Could use that power,” Sam mutters.
“Nah. The world could use your naked body,” she teases.
“Don’t make me blush.”
“Did you want anything?” Bucky interrupts.
Ava shrugs still staring at Sam.
“So any chance you’re single? Like, at all?”
“Unfortunately,” Sam rolls his eyes, pointedly in Bucky’s direction.
God. The man is not subtle.
And Bucky? Bucky probably thinks Sam is flirting with Ava. Idiot.
“With this superhero gig you don’t have much time to think about that.”
Ava leans a bit closer.
“So there is a chance of you dating again?”
“Would it be a terrible cliché to say I’m waiting for the right person?” Sam tilts his head towards Bucky.
“You shouldn’t date in this line of work,” Bucky deadpans.
Ouch.
Did he realize what just happened? Nope. Too busy mentally calculating how to kill Ava and hide her body.
“What a pessimist.” Sam huffs, turning to Bucky. “Did you know sex makes grandpas’ less grumpy?”
“I could introduce you to some friends.” Ava offers Bucky, trying to tease them both.
Unexpectedly, the answer comes from both guys in unison as they turn to her.
“No.”
They don’t seem fazed by how awkward their answer was. They do the thing where they stare at each other in some kind of dick competition until Sam brain finally kicks in and he realizes he just had a jealous fit.
Bucky doesn’t get to the same conclusion.
“Anyway.” Sam relaxes back into the couch. “I was telling Buck I need to infiltrate a secure location, you know? Ghost-like.”
That actually makes Ava feel excited. An exclusive mission? With Captain America?! “Sure! I would–”
“She’s busy,” Bucky cuts in.
“Don’t think I am.” Ava grits her teeth.
“Pretty sure you could be,” Bucky replies, then turns to Sam. “And I could get that intel faster than her.”
Oof.
“No, you couldn’t.”
“Yes, I could.”
“She’s invisible.” Sam leans forward on his knees.
“I’m the Winter Soldier.” Bucky leans the same way.
“Arrogant much?” Sam narrows his eyes.
“Wanna bet the Avengers name on it?” Bucky narrows his eyes back.
She’s not even sure if her jealousy plan is working or if it’s just making things worse. But she’s already in it might as well give a step farther, or these two really have no remedy.
She leans in and reaches for Sam’s chest, just to casually touch the little Captain America label, but Sam’s already moving to politely stop her before she can get a reaction out of Bucky–or she thought.
A metal hand snaps around her wrist.
She would never admit it, but for a second there, she was genuinely scared. Bucky moved fast. And with purpose.
But he didn’t squeeze, he just stopped her.
“Stop harassing the guests, Ava.”
Wow. Okay. This was better than expected.
Sam is frowning confused at Bucky’s jealousy fit– if he’s clever than him, he knows what it means.
“Fine.” Ava holds her palms up. Bucky releases her. “Can I at least get his number–“
“No.”
“Do you own Sam or something?”
“Get out.”
Well. Mission accomplished.
“Bye Sam,” she says, blowing him a kiss as she gets up.
He waves back, awkward but smiling.
As she turns invisible again, she hears Sam say:
“You really need to chill with your team.”
“I dare you to give them orders for one mission. One.”
[Ten Minutes Later]
“Sam is off limits?”
“What?”
“Focus on your work and not on relationships.” Bucky glares and Ava mouth drops. “Understood?”
That might as well be a threat from the Wintersoldier.
= Walter =
Not again.
Walter watches Bucky and Sam argue after a mission.
“You’re hurt–just let me look, Sam!”
“It’s a cut, Barnes. I’m not gonna die goddamn it.” Sam elbows him off as he tries to study one of the robots they just fought, even though, Walter is sure, he doesn’t know anything about robots.
“That much blood is not from a cut!” Bucky points at Sam’s arm where the white Captain America sleeve is red now – and what a terrible color scheme to choose to fighting.
At this point, Walter was sure they were already banging.
But no.
They managed to flirt non-stop back when they were trying to steal him the shield and after this many years they’re still at it.
This gives even an asshole like him second hand embarrassment.
“Oh no. I’ve never bled before in my life.” Sam rolls his eyes and Bucky clenches his fists.
“Let me at least check how bad is it.”
“Can I get the android’s motherboard first please?! I’d like to send it to Joaquin before we have another attack.”
“Then let me do it–“ Bucky grabs the robot almost at the same time Sam pulls it away, ripping its leg in the process.
“You’ll fucking ruin it, see?!” And even Walter could see that he’s gritting his teeth because he pulled his own wound trying to beat Bucky in their sad tug of war.
And Bucky Barnes pouts with guilt and it’s… it’s just–honestly, Walter can’t even describe it. Sam can turn one of the toughest men alive into a kicked puppy vying for his attention.
It's so infuriating and utterly stupid, but at the same time Walter also gets it – Sam is kind of a cooler Captain America, not that Walter would dare say it out loud.
And he’s seen them interacting – the way they understand each other and find the same morbidly sarcastic stuff funny, following each other blind and taking bullets for one another without hesitation.
They care for each other. The feelings are clearly there.
So why the drag on? Are they really that oblivious?!
“Could you stop?!” Sam yells as Bucky tries to rip his shirt – not gay at all.
“You can barely move your arm.”
“And since when is the Winter Soldier a surgeon?!”
Who even fights like this over injuries? Jesus. They should just get married already.
The EMTs treating civilians nearby are sending them worried looks.
No guys, don’t worry! This isn’t a divorce. They haven’t even started yet.
“Fine! Bleed out then!” Bucky throws up his arms. “I’ll just pick you up when you pass out of blood loss.”
He storms off.
Walter sighs. Someone has to help these idiots. Might as well be him – even if he doesn’t like them that much.
He walks up to Sam just as Bucky’s about to disappear from sight, and for a second he’s wondering if what he’s about to do is too mean. But at the same time… meh, and he slaps Sam’s shoulder hard.
“Good job out there, Sammy!”
“WALTER YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE,” Sam hisses cradling his shoulder. It does seem to hurt a lot…
“What the fuck John?!” Bucky yells jogging back.
Walter takes a step back, just in case Bucky is too angry.
“Sorry! Didn’t know he was hurt.” Shrug.
He kneels next to where Sam is huddled on the ground biting back his pain grunts, and very carefully, dare Walter say romantically he holds Sam’s arm carefully to examine the wound.
Walter frowns disgusted.
“Shit–“
“I’m okay…” Sam mutters.
“Fuck this.” Bucky says as he picks Sam up bridal-style, ignoring all his protests.
Even Walter is surprised. I mean, he hoped for an intensified I care about you but this is a little too much.
If Walter was in Sam’s situation, Bucky would grab him by the collar and drag him to an ambulance, but Sam? Sam gets the special treatment.
“Put me down, Barnes!”
“Shut up.”
“I’m serious, asshole.”
“MEDIC!”
And off they go. Still bickering, full of pain and worry and something deeper.
Maybe they’re a lost cause... maybe they’ll get there eventually.
Whatever, Walter did what he could. Job done.
[Ten Minutes Later]
“Shit! Sorry, okay?!” Walter yells as Bucky lifts him by the collar.
There’s a chance Bucky won’t kill him–he’s not choking him at least–but it’s still scary as fuck.
“I know you did that on purpose. This is your only warning.”
God knows what Sam even sees in this guy.
= Bob =
One of the few things Bob learned as a junkie is that sometimes, to find a solution, you have to come at it from the opposite direction.
Can’t stop taking drugs? Sign up for a dubious experiment with a shady corporation that sweet talks you into signing a ten page contract written with enough fancy words and little letters that an incredibly high brain can’t keep up with.
To be fair… he hasn’t felt the need to take anything since, so it technically worked. Even if he…. died… sort of… and it gave him weird ass shadow-like powers with a dark side.
Anyway, if Bucky clearly can’t confess his feelings, maybe the best solution is to go to Sam instead. If Sam likes Bucky, ta da! Problem solved.
Now… how to go about it?
“Bucky is gay,” Bob blurts out.
Sam, who was drinking a soda at the fridge door, that probably belongs to Walter, chokes violently. He coughs a few times, thumping his own chest, then gives Bob a stunned look.
“I mean… ” Bob adds, because maybe he wasn’t clear enough. “He likes men. And penises.”
Sam covers his mouth with the back of his hand.
“I know what gay means Bob, thank you.”
“It’s true. Maybe he has some… pre–what’s the word? Prejudiced? views from the forties, you know? I read people were called pansies back then. You could get lobotomized.”
“I don’t think Bucky–”
“Oh no, Bucky is definitely gay. Ava said she once walked into his room and saw a dildo.”
Sam visibly winces. Bob’s not sure why, is Sam not gay too? He should be happy, no?
“And, you know–it was… er, how do I say it.” Bob scratches the back on his neck quickly before blurring out, “It was black!”
“Okay,” Sam says, closing the door of the fridge with a little too much force as he gives an awkward laugh. “Let’s maybe never repeat that. Ever. To anyone. EVER. Again.”
“Why? Are you homophobic?”
“I’m not–“
“Is it the toy? Is it the size? Ava said it was really big and only gay men use big one’s.”
“I think she was kidding, Bobby.”
“If you’re gay you’ll like Bucky because he’s also really big.”
“AH!” Sam gives this one humorless laughter, maybe he doesn’t get it.
“I’m talking about his–“
“Please stop.” Sam closes his eyes, really hard.
“Does it bother you? That he’s gay? Or has a toy? Or are you afraid of the size–“
“Okay, wait–stop.” Sam puts the can on the counter. “Why the TMI drop on me? Why the weird match-making–“ Sam looks around quickly, eyes widening. “Is this a prank?”
“Huh. No.” Bob shakes his head.
Sam purses his lips, getting an arm over Bob’s shoulders as he starts dragging them to the living room.
“So what you’re saying is that hum. You think me and Bucky could be a couple huh?”
“If you're both gay.”
Sam chuckles. “Makes sense.”
“What makes sense?” Bucky asks coming in from the corridor.
“That you’re gay,” Sam says, turning to Bucky.
Bob watches, amazed, as the Winter Soldier stumbles–stumbles on his own feet.
“Are you in the closet, Barnes?”
“What?!” Bucky frowns, hard.
“I don’t know, man,” Sam says, sounding amused. “My life won’t get any weirder if I have to give an LGBT pep talk to a ninety year old brainwashed assassin.”
Bucky huffs and glances at Bob for a split second.
“What do you know about that, huh?”
“All the letters. My nephew taught me well.”
“All the LGBTQIA2S+ letters?”
Sam grins. Bob’s not sure why – Bucky knowing acronyms doesn’t answer the question.
“Even the two spirits,” Sam nods casually.
Bucky smiles in a sort of shy way. “I’m good, thanks.” Then he looks at Bob more seriously. “Bob. A minute?”
Bob nods and waves goodbye to Sam, who looks... oddly cheerful.
[Ten Minutes Later]
“Why?” Bucky pinches the bridge of his nose. “Why did you tell Sam I’m gay?”
“Should I not have? Oh… maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned the dildo either.”
“The what?!” Bucky stares at him, horrified.
= Bucky =
Bucky is so confused.
He can’t tell if he has a chance with Sam or not.
He’s done everything – the compliments, the cool stances, the arm pats. He’s tried to flirt, he tried to be helpful, he’s been showing off so much he actually feels embarrassed.
And all Sam does is fight with him.
Well, sure, he fights back but that’s their thing – their friends in the end. But Bucky wants to be something more and he just doesn’t know!
He misses the forties when people had signals. Codes. Those glances. Now he’s stuck wondering:
Is Sam checking him out? Or is Bucky imagining it?
Is Sam flirting? Or is he bickering?
Is he seducing him? Or just being kind?
Is Sam even into men? Could Sam even see him like that? Would Bucky ruin their relationship if he said something?!
He's honestly freaking out!
And the Thunderbolts? Not. Helpful. At all.
Whatever they think they’re doing – throwing him off buildings, ripping his clothes off, yelling his sexuality across rooms – it’s not helping.
It’s just embarrassing.
And whatever Ava was trying to do, Jesus. Did Sam like her? He can’t keep obsessing over this. He was crazy once, he can’t go crazy again.
If Sam already knows and is trying to play it cool, fine. But sooner or later, they’ll have to have The Talk. They’ll have to go through the whole awkwardness of getting Bucky friendzoned forever.
Fuck.
Whatever.
Might as well rip it off like a band-aid.
He’s brave, he can do it. He’s been through worse.
Bucky drives to Sam’s apartment and strides to the door, knocking with a confidence he definitely doesn’t feel.
Then immediately starts panicking.
Abort. Abort. Abort.
“Are you seriously knocking and running?” Sam asks, opening the door to find Bucky stepping back.
He’s wearing shorts and a tank top.
Not fair.
“What would you say if I asked you out?” Bucky deadpans. It couldn’t sound less romantic.
Sam blinks, stunned.
“Are you asking me out?”
“I’m asking what your answer would be. I guess. Yeah.” Bucky shrugs.
He’s already calculating how much time he can spend on a ‘mission’ overseas hiding.
“Probably something like ‘what took you so long, asshole.’”
Bucky blinks. Heart pounding. Hands sweating. Just a little bit because more than that would be disgusting.
“You… would?” he asks, frowning. “Couldn’t you have said something earlier?”
“I’m not a mind reader,” Sam rolls his eyes, crossing his arms as he leans into the doorway. “And you send the weirdest mixed signals. I’m never sure if we’re fighting or about to fuck.”
“I don’t see how one excludes the other.”
“It does when one of them never occurs.”
“Maybe because you don’t say anything!” Bucky points at Sam who scoffs offended.
“I’m basically waving my fucking ass at you all the time!”
Bucky scoffs back. “Does Bucky wanna fuck? cost you a lot?”
“It does went you don’t say it either.” Sam puts both hands on his hips in a defensive stance.
“I didn’t know!”
“Your team wasn’t exactly subtle Barnes!”
“Because they knew I liked you not the other way around!”
“And you didn’t think that meant they’ve seen I have feelings for you?!”
“I’m not a mind reader either Sam!”
“You’re such a pain in the ass. Are you gonna do something about it now or expect me to make all the moves?”
“What moves?! I’m the one at your door!” Bucky waves his arms frenetically.
“You couldn’t even ask me out properly.”
“I’m sorry, should I have brought fucking flowers?!”
“See? This will never work–” Sam starts to close the door.
Bucky blocks it with his metal arm.
They stare at each other through the crack.
“Can you stop being such a tsundere?!” Bucky grits his teeth.
“I’m not–wait.” Sam leans his head back, eyes narrowed. “How do you know about tsunderes?”
Bucky grins.
He opens the rest of the door as Sam steps back, then closes it behind him.
“Sam,” he says, voice low. “Do you wanna fuck?”
Sam’s smirk turns into a grin and they meet halfway in an eager kiss, hands pressing everywhere, pulling hair, twisting clothes and they find the quickest way to the couch.
He guides Sam backwards until his knees hit the armrest and Sam falls down, Bucky drops on top of him barely breaking their kiss, even as his hands try to pull Sam’s top off.
“O-our–first–date,” Sam stammers between the wonderful noises he’s making while Bucky kisses and bites the skin of his neck, their bodies grinding against each other. “Is bird–oow–watching.”
And Bucky wants to protest, he does, what a boring ass fucking activity. But then Sam is struggling with the belt of his jeans and he realizes he couldn’t care less what they’ll be doing if he has Sam all to himself.
“Okay. Whatever my boyfriend wants.”
Too soon? Probably. By the way Sam smiles, grabs his hair and pulls him into a softer kiss – maybe, actually, a little late.
[Ten Hours Later]
When Bucky walks into the Thunderbolts’ tower with a hickey on his neck, the reaction is immediate:
“Alehuiah!” Walter throws his arms up.
“Thank God,” Yelena breathes out.
“I knew it!” Alexei cheers punching the air.
“Congrats on finally getting laid,” Ava salutes.
“Cucumber,” Bob adds.
And even though they’re loud, chaotic, and sometimes criminally meddling… Bucky is glad to have them as teammates. As friends.
“Drinks on me!” he announces.
The cheering gets louder and the mockery more ridiculous and inappropriate.
But you know what?
Bucky doesn’t even mind it.