Stucky Halloween: 2020

Stripes

Being married to the icon that was Captain America, Mr Stars-and-Stripes, the Golden Boy, America's Son -- was stressful.

Especially when you were secretly a supervillain who's job was to fight said superhero... and both of you knew it.

"Ouch," Steve hissed as Bucky tackled him.

"I'm sorry, I gotta make it look real," he whispered, cupping his cheek affectionately before flipping him. Steve slammed into the ground and couldn't help but scowl.

It was... a game they played, in a sense. Heroes and villains had their nemesis, Steve was Bucky's and Bucky was Steve's which meant that no other hero or bad guy would try to make that arrest. That's politics, baby.

After the gruelling defeat, Bucky slunk his way home and was there pouting when Steve arrived an hour later after talking about his valiant fight. He looked at Bucky sheepishly as he walked in; Bucky folded his arms.

"How much longer are we going to play this?" he whined as Steve sank into the couch, pressing their legs together and leaning his head on his shoulder.

"We could always move," Steve suggested. Bucky pursed his lips, frowning at the ground.

"Have we tried faking my death?"

Steve stared at him. "You want to?"

Bucky crossed his arms. "I'm tired of fighting all the time. Aren't you?" He studied him. "Don't we deserve a break, Steve?"

"I can't afford to take a break," Steve reminded him gently. "But of course I'll help you. You're sure?"

"Petty thievery and mischief doesn't vibe with me anymore," Bucky sighed. "And no way in hell am I pulling a Doc Oc, he's literally insane."

Steve kissed his cheek, looking at him. "Okay. What will you do?"

"Might lay low until my death passes," he murmured, hesitating. "I think... I might go visit my family. In Romania?"

Steve nodded slightly. "You'll be okay?"

Bucky smiled back at him. "It's okay if I'm doing this, right?"

Steve took his hand and squeezed it. "Of course, baby," he hushed. "I wouldn't ask you to keep doing this, I'm glad you've decided this."

Bucky nodded and kissed him back. "Thank you, Steve."

////

The death went off without too many hitches -- Steve struggled with forcing himself to feel victorious after the imagined death of his husband, and days later when the press crowded in and asked how he'd done it, he gave few details and made sure that that was enough.

The city was quiet. The villain of the Winter Soldier had never been much more of a nuisance for most -- Steve kind of got a laugh out of that, at least, Bucky was the last thing from intimidating -- and more or less the city accepted the "death" with little difficulty.

Steve leaned against the wall, debated calling him -- now a month had passed, then two, and he missed him. Bucky was off the grid, probably wouldn't answer anyway, so Steve slid his phone back into his pocket.

Everything was going smoothly -- until some prick named Ultron showed up.

////

Bucky read about the events with wide eyes, glanced over blurred photos of half destroyed robots, a shot video a civilian had taken while on the run that showed the magnitude of what Steve and some other heroes were tangling with. Then Ultron himself; well, he didn't appear menacing until Bucky saw what he could do.

He looked worriedly to his mom and sister. "We've got to go."

////

Romania was in dire state. Bucky had safely relocated his family to a quiet safehouse in New Jersey -- it was the best he could do. Then it was a matter of finding Steve and making sure he's okay.

He finds him in the middle of an attack downtown.

Geared up, Bucky followed the sound of calamity to the heart of downtown and stopped dead in his tracks to process what he was seeing. Robots flying through the air, a band of heroes he'd never met and a giant and intelligent robot casually giving a speech while chaos rained down amongst them all -- Steve in the middle of it.

Bucky started running, ignoring the second glances he got from civilians. This was probably a bad thing, coming out of hiding and rushing immediately into the fray but Bucky'd be damned if he'd let Steve Rogers do this on his own.

"I'm dead for three months and you do this sh*t?" Bucky panted as he jogged up to him. Steve took three seconds to process confusion, relief and fear in quick succession while he took him in.

"You're not supposed to be here--!" Steve grunted as he threw his shield up to protect them both, and Bucky tried to take everything in so he knew what to do. He nodded distantly and met his eyes.

"Well I'm here now. Where do you want me?"

Steve ran a quick calculation. "Go help Tony do perimeter," he instructed, and Bucky nodded-- Steve grabbed his hand. "Tony's the *sshole in the metal suit," he added breathlessly.

Bucky pointed to Ultron with wide eyes. "Is he..?"

"That's his son actually," Steve said, dripping with sarcasm even in the middle of a fight for their lives. "The one in red and gold, I'll try to tell him over comms the situation." He gave him a look. "Be safe, okay?"

Bucky flashed a quick grin. "Always am."

Then he threw himself into the fray.

////

"What the hell?" Tony whirled on Steve, who stood there, defiant.

"You invent a murderous robot and you're getting mad at me for getting help?"

Bucky, leaning against the wall behind him, kept his arms folded, eyes focused on the world outside -- peaceful, for now.

"This is the Winter Soldier. A villain, Rogers, stole thousands in the stock market -- "

"I actually consider myself more of a vigilante type than a villain," Bucky interrupted and Tony pointed a finger at him.

"We already have one Robin Hood, we don't need two."

Bucky closed his mouth, not bothering to mention he doesn't in fact know this other Robin Hood.

Their arguing became more distant as Bucky focused on the battle and what had happened. Ultron had just... left, they didn't know why. Natasha had planted a tracker on him which would have to be enough until the next attack.

Bucky was amazed seeing Steve standing there, all stars-and-stripes American pride, but still that same Steve Rogers who defied certain unjust laws and fought for the good of the people.

Eventually, everything fell quiet -- Bucky blinked and Steve was standing there by himself, frowning at the ground.

Bucky stepped closer and took his hand. "You okay?" he asked softly. Steve looked up at him and smiled, despite himself.

"Yeah," he sighed, looked down again. "It was nice to be on the same side for once," he said with a laugh and Bucky tilted his chin up.

"I really missed you, you know. I wanted to call," he murmured and cupped his cheek. Steve pressed closer into the touch.

"Is your family safe?"

Bucky nodded, thankful for the fact. "They're okay." He paused, considering what he and this Stark had argued about. "So now what?"

"Now," Steve sighed, finally meeting his eyes. "We face whatever happens next together."

Bucky smiled at that. Together they could take on anything.

////

Took a turn I wasn't expecting but I think it was for the better :)