MCU Oneshots

Five Days to Make a Difference (ft. Free Food)

When the gang realizes they can put their pasts to good use, Bucky, Steve, Natasha, and Yelena all team up. Good hearts and goofy shenanigans. And me having fun with my comfort characters XD

Takes place in some vague universe that's somehow post FATWS and Black Widow era/Steve-lives-era at the same time. I've stopped trying to figure out Marvel timelines lmaoo, I just grab the characters I wanna write and run with 'em.

Editing this was wild (apparently I'm incapable of spelling "Natasha," lmao), so I'm happy to finally be putting this out there. Hope y'all enjoy <3

Read as you see fit here- just a general warning for Black Widow/Winter Soldier stuff, mild injuries, and mild language. Overall it's pretty chill!

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On the first morning of their retreat, Bucky gets woken up by several light kicks to the shin.

"Wake up," comes Natasha's voice, somehow cutting through his sleep-addled state. He groans and swats at her.

"Sleeping in and swinging at me with the metal arm? That's cold."

Bucky rolls his eyes, eventually propping himself up. If this is day one, he thinks, I have a bad feeling about the other four.

The retreat was Steve's idea- although "retreat" probably isn't the right word. Bucky and Natasha were up late one night at the compound and they got to talking, sharing their similar experiences, she as a Black Widow and Bucky as the Winter Soldier. Steve took one look at his boyfriend's and best friend's frustrated expressions, then suggested they all put their pasts to good use.

After getting approval from the higher-ups (or at least Bucky assumed, he rarely double-checks that anymore), the three planned an extensive five-day trip around the United States. Mission after mission was set up to help anyone under someone else's control, be it physically, mentally, or monetarily.

They booked hotels for each night and scouted restaurants along the way, too. Steve called it self-care. Natasha called it common sense.

Speaking of. "Are you awake yet?" she asks Bucky, pulling him roughly off of the bed. He rubs at his eyes, hiding a smile.

"No."

"C'mon, I want you to meet my sister."

"Yelena?"

"Yeah. She's in the lobby, she's an early riser."

Bucky glances at the alarm clock resting on the hotel room's generic nightstand. Six a.m.. "You don't say."

"Just put some pants on," Natasha huffs. Bucky obliges, slipping on shoes while he's at it. His hair is too short to truly brush, these days, and the lack of bedhead is a nice reprieve.

He walks down the hallway by Natasha's side. The whole place smells of pancakes and syrup, which is promising. "I didn't know your sister was coming along on this thing."

Natasha smiles, fond. "She wasn't, originally, but she happened to be in town, and offered to tag along. I saw the opportunity to not be the third wheel and took it."

"Steve and I aren't even that coupley," Bucky objects.

"You keep telling yourself that."

* * *

Steve and Yelena are already getting on quite well by the time the other two join.

"He's very straightforward," Yelena says to the group. "Admirable."