Thunderbolts and Fantastic 4 meeting in the new avengers tower
Reed: so you are the protectors of this world?
Bucky: *sighs* it's complicated
Yelena: *shrugs* we are. Kinda. Our world thinks otherwise
All three stand there while watching Ava and Bob awing over Sues powers and explanations, showing their own skills, Ben answer every of Alexei's questions about his strength and Johnny immediately bonding with John over their shared name and constantly being talked over and not taken seriously.
My own HC: Johnny and John would either immediately bond or hate each other.
Ava and John: *snickering while Yelena shushes them*
Bucky: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! Beds empty! No note! Quinjet gone—
Yelena: Sorry, Bucky
Ava :We were just—
Bucky: You could have DIED, you could have been SEEN— you could have lost us everything! I am absolutely disgusted! I'm facing an inquiry at work, and it’s entirely your fault!
John: Did you really see Bob fly?
Bucky: Don’t you dare take this lightly! I will not tolerate—
Bob: It was my fault, Mr. Barnes. I was the one who wanted to go.
Bucky: Oh, Bob, dear, thank goodness you’re all right. You’ll be starving, come and have some breakfast.
---
@busyheadkeepbreathing i feel like this could be a dialog in TBD if they were to become teenagers xD
The thing, why i thank you @busyheadkeepbreathing , is i need to hype up people who write Bucky like a normal person because i don't like the way the winter soldier is portraited in most fics.
So i love it when people write him good as Bucky.
Here starts the rant:
Most fanfictions i have read so far describe the Winter soldier as a mindless puppet without emotions. Like you need to tell him everything. What to do and you have to take care of him.
But that's not the case. I'll try to make my point with some interpretations from the movie.
Yes the winter soldier doesn't talk much. Many take the scene with Pierce and the milk question. I think it's not that he can't answer. He just doesn't want to. Or he just doesn't get the joke. He's there to take his orders so the rest doesn't matter.
But he talks on the bridge and HE GIVES ORDERS! to others. He is superior and he knows it.
On the bridge we get to see something else. He shows emotions. Yeah it is mostly anger but nevertheless an emotion. Hes angry with natasha or about the fact that he didn't think about how she would trick him. Then he wastes munitions while shooting in rage.
The thing is: he probably lost his memory after the fall from the train. They probably didn't electrocuted him to break him. It is a reset mechanism. Forced memory loss. Not exactly torture to hurt him. It is torture because it hurts while doing it.
They experimented with him in Azzano. There they perhaps researched if they can reset memories. Thats not clear.
So the next thing is. He flew under the radar for 2 years. He managed to escape to Romania from the US. He fucking knows how to take care of himself. They just found him because of Zemo. If CIA and the resources of tony stark couldn't find him he did a damn well job.
The winter soldier is basically a mix of Ethan Hunt and Jason Bourne with super strength.
I feel like just because Rumlow called him 'the asset' many people think of him as a weapon instead of a human. The trigger words are there to unlock unquestionable obedience. But not to make him mindless or emotionless. The one who speaks those words is the person he accepts orders from.
In the comics they didn't wipe him regularly. They didn't freeze him regularly. They turned him and gave him a place in the red room. He trained the widows, he fell in love with natasha (ill never forgive the mcu for keeing this from us). He started to question everything. They had a kill switch for him. Sputnik would make him unconscious. They froze him completely because he began to act out. Gosh he even has full conversations as the winter soldier with his handlers.
I feel like the reason, why so many people think of this mindless puppet thing, is his answer (ready to comply). I am pretty sure it is some kind of verification. That everything is in order and how it should be. That he would be obedient.
I feel like more people need to embrace the display of the winter soldier in what if..? Seaon 2 episode 2 or season 3 episode 3. That is how he is even as the winter soldier.
“Daaaaaaaddy!” Bob shouted from his room like he did every weekend.
Bucky’s eyes opened slowly. He blinked a few times before rolling over. He knew the weekend routine by now. Bob always was the first to wake up and would make his wake presence known by yelling for Bucky. Then would pick him up and cuddle with him until the other kids would be up.
"Ok ok, I'm coming!"
So today was no different. Walking over, picking the toddler up and walking back to his room. Bob beamed at him while explaining what he dreamed about. To Bucky it didn’t make any sense but he listened with a soft smile and nodded along throwing in some affirmatives and surprised noises. The relaxed moment didn’t last long. His other kids ambushed him in his own bedroom. Soon he laid on his back grinning and his kids on his legs and abdomen.
Sam knew where to find them, so no wonder he stood in the doorframe half an hour later.
“Alright kids, Alexei is about to eat all pancakes alone if you don’t want them and stay here with Daddy” he casually drops the news of breakfast.
Immediately the four start screaming something about ‘No’ and ‘Lex don’ eat my cakes!’ Bucky chuckled and sat up to follow the others.
Alexei didn’t eat all the pancakes. Sam and Alexei had set up the table and the twelve-year-old waited patiently for his siblings. Sam sat with Bob in his lap, Bucky sat next to John and the girls sat on both of Alexei’s sides. Active chatter filled the living area.
Sam looked at Bucky while picking up his coffee.”We should go to the park today. we need to make them tired this time.” Bucky nodded while wiping John’s hands with some napkin. Ava and Yelena looked at Sam with sparkling eyes.
“We go to the park?!” Yelena squealed and Ava threw her arms in the air. Alexei looked pleased with those plans and Bob wiggled excitedly. John looked up to Bucky
“Can you show me how to skip stones at the lake?” the blond asked softly while pushing the last peace of pancake into his mouth.
“Of course buddy” the brunette assured him.
~
They took a large blanket, snacks and water with them. It was a bit of a fight to get all kids into their clothing. Ava didn’t like her shoes anymore, Yelena hated her sweatshirt and threw a short but intensive tantrum. Luckily for Sam and Bucky they were still in the tower so it wasn't some embarrassing moment in public like the week before when Bob cried the whole shoe shopping trip.
But they managed it more or less gracefully. So Sam found himself sitting on the blanket with Bob, watching the girls playing catch while Alexei read some comics he brought along. Bucky stood at the shore with John in front of him teaching him the correct way to throw the stone so they would jump a few times over the surface. After some attempts the boy managed it pretty well. His huge grin after the first success was priceless for the ex-winter soldier.
He stood to his full height again and turned around to look at Sam and gave him a thumbs up. The other man grinned back at him. Bucky took in the whole scene around him. One of his sons happy with throwing stones, the other to sitting with his best friend and his girls―
Where were his girls? Bucky turned around 360 degrees. He didn’t see them anymore. He didn't hear them either. Bucky looked at Sam with a horrified expression. His friend watched how his expression changed and started to look around too. Then it hit him too.
Ava and Yelena had disappeared.
Next chapter
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Let me know what you think and if you want to read the rest of the story 💚
She clutched Ava’s hand with her own little fingers while wiping her eyes. They hold onto each other like Dad taught them. “When you loose sight of Daddy or I, stick together ok?” Sam had told them. “We will find you”
So they stuck together. Like they had learned. There were big trees and bushes and so so many people! The small children got some confused looks from strangers. It was kind of unusual to witness two four-year-olds alone, even for New York. But all of them assumed there were some parents nearby. Who would let so little kids walk around alone?
Ava sobbed softly, trying not to attract attention. Also an unusual trait for a toddler. You would expect them both to cry louder exactly to attract attention. Preferably attention from one of their dads. The girls ended up at a playground. They stood there, lost, like they obviously were.
“Daddys gonna find us Ava. Don't cry” the blond girl tried to cheer up the other. Even though she was tearing up again herself. “Daddy always finds us when we play hide”
“‘is different” Ava hiccuped with a wobbly lip. Yelena did the only thing she knew to do and hugged her sister carefully. They had no clue how far away from their dads there were or how much time had passed. It felt like eternity.
But before they would lose all hope an older boy with a grocery bag in each hand approached them. Yelena assumed he was older than Alexei. He had to be. He was taller than her brother. He seemed nice. The boy crouched down in front of the girls and smiled softly
“Hey there. "What's wrong?” the boy asked in a gentle tone.
Yelena looked at him with a trembling lip “We lost daddy” The boy just nodded. “What's your name, sweetie?” Before she could say her name Ava intervened.
“We don't say names to strangers!” She watched him closely. The girl had learned her lesson about stranger danger.
The boy nodded. “Yeah that's right. Ok, I'll help you to find your Dad, ok?” Both nodded too while his smile grew a little bit wider.
“Alright, stay right here” he stood up and walked over to an elderly woman who sat on a bench with a book. He seemed to talk to her and gesticulated over to Ava and Yelena. Her gaze moved between them and him. She nodded and pulled out her phone. The boy came back to them and grinned.
“this friendly woman will call someone and they will help you ok? I'll stay with you until help comes” Yelena nodded carefully and Ava said a soft “Thank you”. He sat down with them
“Tell me about your Dad”
~
Bucky felt it. His panic rose from minute to minute they didn't find them. They searched behind every tree, every bush, under every bench. Called their names a hundred times or more. He had a bad feeling about this. What if someone recognized them or him and wanted to blackmail him with the girls as leverage? No he shouldn't think that way he should-
“Maybe they went the other direction?” Alexei mused and looked up to him. Bucky sighed heavily
“Perhaps… ok let's look the other way” he closed his eyes for one moment and took a deep breath. Everything is gonna be fine. They would find them. They were safe.Alexei and him took off into the opposite direction and continued their search and yelling. After minutes of walking and shouting he stood at a playground and gazed over the children with a heavy heart.
Children of all ages played on the slides and swings with their parents and friends. He frowned when he saw a woman and a police officer standing there with a guy, maybe a high school senior and two kids. One in his arms, one in hers. Two girls. One brown hair, one blond. His head stopped, only to beat faster again. Could it really be?
“Yelena!” He heard Alaexei yell again and the girls' heads spun around watching directly at him and Bucky.
They were his girls.
“Alexei! Over there!” he pointed over to the other side of the playground. The older boy’s smile was priceless “YELENA!” he shouted and started running. Bucky did the same. Meanwhile the girls started wiggling and shouting until the other adults let them down.
They run exactly towards Bucky and Alexei. While Alexei and Yelena practically colieded so Alexei fell backwards to the ground but with Yelena warped safely in his arms, Bucky crouched down and let Ava ran into him. He hugged her close, picked her up and stood again.
He had his girls back. The lecture could wait. They were safe and seemed unharmed. That was all that mattered. Ava wrapped herself around him with legs and arms so he just supported her with one arm. He watched Alexei and Yelena standing again and led them over to the police officer and the boy. The woman was already gone when she saw the girls were reunited with her family. The officer told Bucky how they found the girls and he would leave them with just a warning. He knew who he talked to.
“This young man found your … daughters. I think a thank you is appropriate here” the police officer hummed before leaving them. Of course Bucky thanked him profusely. Yelena grinned at him and thanked the young man too.
“Thank you. I mean it…?” Bucky looked the young guy in the face.
@busyheadkeepbreathing I know i pitched it to you but my brain didn't stop thinking about it so i hope you forgive me for trying this myself! Of course you are still welcome to take the idea btw! 💚
Thunderbolts meet animal shelter
Bucky took the piece of paper Mel handed him. She watched him closely with anticipation in her eyes as he read. She had caught him in the lounging area making coffee while the others were still working out.
“What the hell is that?”
The former winter soldier held up the paper with a raised eyebrow.
“An invitation.. Or more … an order from Val” the woman shrugged and grinned. Bucky kept staring.
“Okay okay. It's for PR reasons. Good for your image as the new avengers. And its a good team building exercise”
“I get that. But why an animal shelter?” He turned the printed page to her and gave her a confused look.
“Because people are not ready to trust you guys with kids” she said with full seriousness. “So no orphanage or school. And everyone likes animals” Bucky blinked at her silently. She gave him a sweet smile instead and nodded once.
“Alright then i'll send you a driver tomorrow at 10 a.m. sharp. Bye” she grinded one last time before turning around and leaving him standing next to his coffee dumbfounded.
Well there went Avas plans on sleeping in tomorrow.
