softboibarnes: “Up In Flames”
The man is dressed in a suit, which seems really expensive even to Steve's untrained eyes, and it shows his well build body. Brown hair is resting just above his broad shoulders. Everything about this man screams power and money and determination and maybe even ruthlessness and that makes Steve feel uncomfortable.
"Steve Rogers," the man says in a gravelly voice and Steve can't contain a shiver, "my name is James Barnes and I’ve come to thank you for saving my life."
Up In Flames by softboibarnes (also I’m hella into the username, just saying) is a modern AU featuring single parent, firefighter!Steve and big shot lawyer!Bucky, wherein our favorite boys meet when Steve risks his life to save Bucky’s while the building is literally crashing down around them. It’s definitely a heart-pounding opening chapter, and the admittedly rocky start to their relationship sort of sets the tone for the rest of the fic. Steve wants nothing to do with Bucky, Bucky is bad at Socializing and Being A (Not-Rich) Person and overcompensates... honestly they’re lucky they have such smart women in their lives, otherwise things probably wouldn’t have ended well between them. I think this fic is very cute and very angsty, and while I don’t usually like kid AUs, I loved Steve’s son Eric to bits. The progression of Bucky’s relationship with Eric was adorable. Fair warning: be prepared for a lot of Steve’s guilt over his late wife, Peggy, terrible exes, even more terrible parents... of course there’s a happy ending because I don’t read anything that doesn’t have a happy ending, but better safe than sorry, yeah?
