Summary: Bucky gets dragged by Sam to see a new play in a playhouse downtown in New York. What he finds is worth the wait.
Tags: plus size!reader, Bucky being both a shy mess and a cocky bastard, Sam being half-wingman and half-tries-to-steal-the-girl-himself. Pure stupid fluff, reader is an actress.
a/n: this was written as a request for a lovely reader who donated as part of the BLM campaign. If you’d like a request written too, check the link for more info x
And just before the fic starts I want to quickly say to all the plus size girls, especially those trying to be an actress... You’re all so talented, so deserving of all the love and recognition in the world, and I am disgusted and tired of only seeing skinny, conventionally attractive, straight white men/women on the stage/screen. Your time is coming, never give up <3
“Stop fidgeting, metal man.” Sam chastised as Bucky shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his fingers anxiously drumming on the velvet armrest of the theatre. He felt as if a million people were staring in their direction, with the other theater-goers curiously whispering among themselves and filming the two superheroes casually sitting in their seats near the front stage. The burning gazes onto his back was doing little to calm his nerves, his eyes glued to the carpet on the floor in a fruitless attempt to distract himself.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.” Bucky grumbled under his breath. He had planned on spending his Saturday evening with a book by the windowsill with lilies in the library, needing a much deserved break from the endless cycle of training, stressing and running, but Sam had roped him into coming to see some play in a playhouse downtown in New York. Bucky wasn’t to keen on it at all- “why would I go outside to see a play when I can go on NetTube-” “NetFLIX, Bucky. Netflix.” “Same thing.” - and originally Steve had volunteered to go in Bucky’s place, only to catch the flu the night before the show.
That little shit.
A part of Bucky theorized Steve had faked the illness or planned it to get out of the play, but nonetheless, here he was. Crammed into a small theatre with hundreds of other citizens gawking at the sight of two superheroes in the audience. Sam’s annoyed expression softened when he saw Bucky’s expression shift into one of embarrassment at the noise of some soft snickering at the back, which caused Sam to look back at the two teen girls filming them with a nasty glare.
“Just ignore em. People are just curious cause it’s not everyday that they see superheroes come to the theatre. Please just… try to enjoy it?”
Bucky opened his mouth to object but nodded, feeling a sort of obligation to his best friend.
“Fine. You owe me, punk.”
Thankfully, as if on cue, the lights dimmed and the noise in the theatre fell into a comfortable silence. Sam elbowed Bucky for space on the armrest, not even sparing his friend a glance, and Bucky had to hide the scowl from appearing on his face. But as the red velvet curtains parted, the stage brimming with light and color, his eyes immediately fell onto one person.
She moved with a certain grace that made her sharp movements seem effortless and natural, her words flowing from her soft lips ever so calmly, her sweet sundress blowing behind her legs as she moved. He was entranced, not even flinching when she later on produced a sharp knife from her back and pressed it against the protagonist’s throat, telling him to hand over the money. Her expression was taut and stern, but her eyes glimmered with such wicked joy and oddly, a childlike innocence, that she just seemed to pop out from the stage in comparison with the other actors.
She then laughed in response to something the protagonist said- a laugh that should be sending shivers down his spine, and it does, to an extent- but more than anything it warms his senses, the melodic noise filling the dusty air. He’s entranced. She was an enigma and he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
There was no intermission and a full hour later he found himself standing on his two feet the moment the curtain call started, his eyes immediately searching for her and to see her wide smile as the audience applauded and cheered for her performance. When the lights came back on and the audience began to move out of the theatre, Bucky was still in awe of her performance, his eyes still glazed over.
“So, what do you think? You enjoy it?”
Sam’s question snapped him out of his trance as he stumbled forward, trying not to get pushed over by the crowd aching to escape the theatre. Bucky swallowed nervously, hoping that his slightly higher pitched tone wasn’t going to give it away.
“Y-yeah. It was…” he paused, trying to find the right word. “Amazing.”
Sam’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“Really? I told you so! Damn good thing too, I was starting to feel bad for making you come out with me.”
“No, I… I actually really enjoyed it.”
After a few selfies and autographs by fans nearby (Bucky was continuously taken back and touched by how there were actually people out there who adored him and wanted his signature), Sam excused himself to the bathroom, leaving Bucky to stand by himself outside of the entrance to the theatre. The theatre was mostly empty now, with most people now catching a cab or a train back home after the performance, and the night air was slightly chilly- causing him to hug his jacket closer towards his body.
The sound of high heels clicking against the marbled floor of the theatre caught his attention, the movement matched by a familiar voice speaking into a phone.
“Yes, I just finished the performance. Yes, it went well but I really want something more, something where I can actually be- I understand. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”
He watched in awe, his heart pounding against his chest erratically as you stepped out, the girl he was so transfixed by on stage a mere half an hour ago. You look very different without the wig and the costume but there was no mistaking that voice, and the soft glimmer in your eyes as you turned off your phone and tossed it into your bag. He considered stopping you and congratulating you on your performance but the words died in his throat as you started to walk towards his direction, your eyes focused on calling a cab from the street behind him. He cursed internally, wishing he had some excuse to get you to talk-
“Holy shit. A-are you… Bucky Barnes?” you asked quietly, stopping mid-walk when you thought you saw that familiar face in the shadows. Bucky tensed at the sudden attention, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, but he slowly nodded, bringing himself out towards the light.
“That’s me. I… I saw your performance tonight, by the way.” he added quickly, unsure of what to say. That elicited a beautiful laugh from you, one that made his heart skip a beat or two.
“I figured, because you’re outside the theatre. But also because my phone was blowing up with notifications from people freaking out about how THE Falcon and Winter Soldier were in the audience tonight.”
He chuckled at your response, your carefree nature allowing him to slowly relax and ease into the conversation. His hand was itching to touch your hand but maybe that was too soon- should he pull out his phone and ask for your number? He was lost at what to do, only to be interrupted by Sam strolling out of the theatre.
“Jesus christ, there you are- Oh.”
“Mr.Wilson, wow, it’s such an honour to have you here. You and Mr.Barnes, of course. Did you enjoy the show?” you asked, eyes glimmering with excitement. Bucky felt a hot red streak of jealousy course through his veins as you doted over his best friend, and it didn’t escape his eyesight that Sam was laying down the charm. A small touch to the hand there, a soft laugh at a joke you made, slipping into nicknames like “dollface” and “sweetheart” at the end of his sentences.
But it seemed like the gods of fate were taking pity to Bucky as then Sam got a call from Fury, one that he couldn’t ignore. So he excused himself, allowing Bucky to slide back into your previous conversation with his best friend and divert your attention towards him.
“You were incredible, by the way. I’ve never seen someone be so… entrancing and believable on stage. I bought every single word that came out your mouth as your character.” he gushed fanatically. You were taken back at that compliment- you weren’t used to receiving such praise, especially when people first saw your figure before they saw your talent.
“Wow I….”
Your silence caused panic to rise up in his throat, a deep flush on his face.
“I’m so sorry, did I offend you? I meant to-”
You moved forward and touched his arm to soothe him, your fingers dragging across his pulse point.
“No, no, I promise you didn’t, I just… I’m not used to people complimenting me. And I wasn’t sure you’d enjoy it, considering I’m only the understudy.”
His eyes almost bulged out of his skull at that statement.
“Understudy? Excuse my language, doll, but who the fuck made that decision? You were the best damn actress on stage, they’d be stupid to not make you the prime actress.”
“That’s so sweet of you to say, but…” you sighed, debating on whether to share the information with a stranger. But Bucky didn’t feel like a stranger, it felt as if he really understood all of you. “I don’t know, the producers said the character was better suited to be played by… a skinny actress than a non-skinny one. Considering she’s the main love interest, after all.”
“That’s bullshit. You’re gorgeous, doll. Not to mention, extremely talented. If I were a Hollywood producer, I’d give you all the roles you wanted.”
You smiled at the compliment, suddenly feeling shy under his intense gaze.
“I wish more people thought like you, Buck. It’s hard being a plus size actress, you know? Either you get no roles because of the way you look or you get really insulting roles that try to pigeonhole you to some stereotype or punchline. There just aren’t enough plus size actresses for me to be seen as normal every time I walk into an audition room, you know?”
Bucky paused, then smiled.
“Well if there were, it wouldn’t be as impressive when you make it, wouldn’t it?”
You giggled.
“You mean if I make it.”
“No, I meant it how it is. WHEN you make it. And you will, for sure.”
You sigh inwardly, biting your bottom lip.
“Thank you… I just wish my manager thought like you. He’s been getting pretty pissed at me lately for wanting to audition for other roles and end my contract here a bit early. Says it’s unrealistic for me to audition for the bigger roles instead of being an understudy, he’s insisting that I already have a good gig here.”
“Well…” Bucky paused, licking his lips, before grinning at you shyly. “I’d say, go for it. Talent ain’t the problem, people are. You got enough talent to outdo everyone on that fucking stage tonight, doll.”
Sam interrupted the conversation before you could open your mouth to respond, citing an emergency back at the compound that couldn’t wait. Bucky flashed you an apologetic smile and you simply nodded, playing with the hem of your jacket and whispering that it was okay. They were superheroes, after all. Out of the corner of his eye Bucky spotted Sam moving slightly closer towards you, that smirk on his face making it all to clear what he was about to do.
And Bucky beats him to it.
“Can I get your number?”
You didn’t see the betrayal written on Sam’s face as you nodded quietly, walking over to Bucky and typing your number into his phone. Bucky knew he was going to hear it endlessly on the car ride back home- “damn it tin can, you always cock block me”- but none of that mattered when you gave him the brightest smile he’d ever seen and a quick peck on the cheek.
“See you later, soldier.”
He stood there, dazed, a finger on his cheek feeling the sticky residue left behind from your lipstick kiss, as you walked down the dark streets of New York. Sam practically had to push Bucky back into the car, berating him for stealing a girl’s number from his hands, but Bucky couldn’t respond.
He just sat there, grinning like an idiot, his hand already moving to pull out his cellphone.
‘I’m serious, doll. You should go audition for that big role.’
Your reply was immediate.
‘I don’t know, Buck. I don’t think they’re looking for someone like me.’
‘Well, I wasn’t looking for you tonight but it certainly worked out in my favour.’
“Really, Buck? That’s the cringiest shit you’ve ever sent on text.” Sam drawled, looking over his best friend’s shoulder and staring disapprovingly at the screen. Bucky lightly punched Sam’s shoulder to shut him up, but the anxiety was already creeping in. Oh god, had he fucked up?
Meanwhile you saw the text just as you were walking into your apartment, the text eliciting a soft laugh from your lips. You immediately typed back, slamming the door behind you.
‘That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me…. Guess I really got to audition for that role now, huh?’
Bucky called you as soon as you pressed send, so you accepted the call, holding the screen close to your face.
“And you should really go out with him afterwards too, he’s a sad puppy love sick bastard-” Sam yelled into the phone, clearly having stolen the phone from Bucky. You chuckled as you heard fabric shuffling in the background before Bucky was breathing heavily over the phone, his voice clearly exasperated.
“Sorry, doll. He snatched the phone right out of my hands. So… what’d you say to a date?”
“Depends. When were you thinking?” you teased. You could practically see the half-childish, half-cocky smirk on his face.
Hello!! I really like the idea of like Older sibling-like friend technoblade, so I wanted to request something like that?
I get the feeling Techno is like the sibling that will tease you constantly, ruffle your hair, put stuff slightly out of reach, just be an older sibling. He isn’t mean or anything, just likes to annoy his younger sibling to an extent where they can both laugh about it, like most siblings do!
But in typical Older sibling fashion, the moment someone else like tries to bully/be rude/bother/etc the ‘younger sibling’(aka the reader in this), the older sibling just goes “Excuse me?? Only I’m allowed to bother them?? Go away?” And defends the younger sibling!
So basically something where the reader has someone bother them/straight up be rude to them, and Older Brother-friendtm Techno steps in? (Platonic of course!)
Hello friend! You can find the imagine you requested here! I hope you enjoy it and I hope I did your request justice! Thank you so much for you request and your support!!
written to fulfill a request by @evanstanwrites who asked for “Nic getting matching Christmas sweaters and even getting one for Dodger.”
Story follows the characters from my long story, Escape With Chris Evans
Nicole arrived at Chris’s home, in the suburbs outside of Boston, with a surprise in tow. Tonight the couple, and Dodger, were set to go to a Christmas party at his sister Carly’s house. It was a small affair, just family and a couple of her close friends. Knowing that Carly was a huge fan of the Grinch, Nic thought it would be funny to arrive dressed in theme.
Chris loved the idea and was on board one thousand percent. Nicole had purchased a cream colored sweater with a large Grinch face for Chris, a pink one with Cindy Lou Who for herself, and a headband and small red sweater for Dodger to transform him into Max. He wasn’t having it at first and had to be coaxed into not eating the headband. Eventually the sweater got on and the headband was saved for just before making the entrance to his aunt’s home. Before leaving, she tied braids into her hair to give herself a little more character.
They arrived, wrapped up in coats because of the cold, and everyone became instantly busy making a fuss over how cute Dodger looked, even as he ripped the headpiece off and took off with his treasure. With no one paying them any attention, the couple removed their outerwear and surprised the family, delighting Carly and the kids who shared her passion.
As a hostess gift, Nicole had purchased a white candle in a plain glass jar and used green stickers to write out, “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. - The Grinch.”
She’d also brought a batch of mint chocolate chip cookies that she’d baked the night before. Or at least, the ones that she had been able to keep away from Chris.
They all spent the rest of the evening together decorating the tree, playing video games and exchanging stories of Christmas’s past. Her idea had been a hit, and the love beaming from Chris’s eyes towards her for making the evening extra special was worth every effort she’d put into planning for it.
{I’ve never written Error before, but I hope this is to your liking! Thank you for the request!}
-Error belongs to @loverofpiggies
* * *
A soft sob woke you from your sleep.
The sound pulled at your Soul the moment it reached your ears, and you sat up in bed, still blinking away the sleep from your eyes as you tried to reach for the source.
Sans startled at your sudden movements, silencing himself. But even half asleep, you could still see the telltale signs of his anguish by the tear streaks on his dark cheekbones. His eye lights were dark and fuzzy, and his brow was creased as you studied each other. He sat on the very edge of your bed, to the point where you momentarily worried about him falling off.
“What’s wrong?” You asked him softly, reaching for him, but stopping short as he pulled himself from your reach. He was even more on edge now, both literally and metaphorically.
“Nothing.” He answered hastily, though his voice wavered even more than usual in his emotional state. Your frown deepened at his refusal.
This wasn’t the first time he had come to you in the middle of the night like this, but each time it got a little bit easier to coax him to talk to you. He never went into details, though, about what had upset him in the first place. Instead, he settled with staying in your bed for the night, holding your hand and falling asleep with you.
His gaze lingered on your hand, which was still outstretched a bit in your effort to comfort him. You retracted it fully, letting it relax in your lap as you watched him carefully.
“Is there...something you’d like to talk about?” You tried.
He didn’t answer immediately, instead hesitating. His mouth opened to answer a few times, but quickly shut as he second guessed himself. Finally, he answered.
“Why do you stay?”
A question with a question, huh? “What do you mean?”
“Stay...with me?” He clarified. “Knowing what I am...what I’ve done?”
Realization dawned on you, and your chest tightened a bit. “Because I love you.”
He scoffed at your immediate answer, staring at you doubtfully. “I’ve seen love fade.”
“Well, yeah, sometimes it does. But sometimes it’s stronger than anything else, and it’s able to overcome everything. It just takes the right person.”
His doubt softened in his eyes. “The right...person?” He let this sink in. “Am I...am I the right person for you?”
Your smiled. “I’d like to think you are. And I hope that I’m the right person for you. And I mean, look at us? We’ve overcome so much already between us.”
Despite your comforting words, his expression crumbled a bit as more tears began to form in his sockets. “I’m no different. I haven’t changed.” He spoke quietly, almost to himself. He continued, distracting himself from you as he berated himself. I’ve destroyed entire universes. I’ve hurt so many people. How could I even begin to think I could get away from that?”
“Stop that.” You snapped gently at him, pulling his attention back to you. “You HAVE changed.”
“I haven’t changed!” He barks at you, stunning you into silence as he goes on. “You don’t have to lie to me. I know I haven’t changed. I still have these...urges. To destroy. To hurt. And one day, I’m going to hurt you. And then you’ll finally leave and I’ll be alone again. I don’t deserve your kindness. I don’t deserve to be comforted. You of all people know just how much of a monster I am-“
You lunged for him, wrapping your arms around him and pulling him off the edge of your bed towards you. He stiffened, making a small choking sound as you locked your arms around him, burying your face into the rough material of his jacket.
“You’re not a monster!” You argued. Tears of your own slipped down your cheeks as you fought against the ache in your Soul. You couldn’t bear to let him degrade himself any longer. The misery that flooded his own tortured Soul translated to you in that moment, and it almost killed you to hear that he genuinely thought of himself so lowly.
You took a shaky breath as you steadied yourself. “Sans, I love you. All of you.” You said confidently. “I know you weren’t a good person when we first met. I have seen what you’re capable of. But I know you’ve changed. I can feel it. And I know you can too.
“You don’t want to accept it. You don’t want to accept that you’ve changed. Maybe it’s guilt, or maybe it’s something else, but you don’t want to let yourself forget all of the things you’ve done. And maybe you shouldn’t forget. But you can forgive yourself.”
You paused your ramble when you felt Sans shuffle in your arms. Your grip on him loosened immediately, remembering that he didn’t respond favorably to being touched. You moved to pull away in that moment, an apology spilling from your lips, when his own arms wrapped around you, almost crushing you to his chest as he buried his face in your neck.
He sobbed against you, his voice glitching and unsteady as he admitted that you were right, and that he didn’t want to forgive himself for the awful things he’d done. He blathered on, but most of his words became unintelligible through his emotions, so you let him cling to you as he got it out of his system.
It took a while for him to calm down. . His hold on you never loosened, instead tightening every time he worried you would release him. You took to rubbing the back of his skull soothingly, rocking him gently through his cry.
You’ve never seen him in such a pitiful state, and you shed a few tears yourself at the turmoil that grew in your Soul.
Finally, he ceased crying altogether. His breathing became low and even, and his arms loosened a bit around you. You allowed yourself to take a full deep breath, taking advantage of the lack of constraint around your ribs, before you addressed him quietly.
“Sans?”
He didn’t respond until you shifted a bit in efforts to find a more comfortable position.
“Stars, please don’t leave me.” He mumbled tiredly against your collar, still clinging helplessly to your form.
You pressed a kiss to his skull, holding him tightly to you. “Never, my love.”
