#his savior

That's a relief. "Of course," You say, not really knowing what to do or say in this rare situation. "It's a lot to take in."

Alpine leaps out of his arms and scurries away, while Steve continues pondering aloud. "All those times she saved me... it was you."

A sheepish smile makes its way to your lips. "You're welcome."

Suddenly, his eyes narrow. "Why are you so bad at your job?"

"Excuse me?" You scoff, taken aback.

"It's your job to write about Starling, and you suck at it," He goes on to say, shaking his head. "Why not just give yourself an exclusive interview? You could be at the top of your game."

Sitting back, you shrug. "Top of the game gets attention. I just wanted to blend in."

He leans forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "That's how you knew my name the first time, and where I lived. There's no sixth sense."

With a snort, you bite your lip. "Sorry. I couldn't risk you finding out."

"And now that I know..." He trails off, a glint of fear in his eyes. "You're gonna kill me?"

It's almost adorable, the look on his face.

"I'd like to think I can trust you, Steve," You say, giving him a smile. You haven't forgotten your conversation with him earlier tonight during which he almost admitted to having feelings for you, the words still echoing in your head.

"You can," He promises you.

"Good," You say, clapping your hands together. "Because I really need your help."

That confuses him. "My help?" He questions you with a frown. "Mine specifically?"

"Mhm," You answer. "Yours, and only yours, Steven."

"What could I possibly have to offer the Incredible Starling?" He asks incredulously.

Swallowing thickly, you meet his eyes as your tone lowers. "The Winter Soldier."

And once again, you've lost him. "Huh?" Steve looks utterly baffled at this point.

"I'm not sure how to break this to you," You admit with a mumble, rubbing the back of your neck nervously. "I've never really been good with delivering bad news."

He looks scared, and you can't blame him. "Just say it," He says, putting on a brave front.

Just say it, Y/N. Like a band-aid. Rip it off. Clean break.

"Bucky Barnes is the Winter Soldier."

There's a second of silence before Steve snorts. "Yeah. Okay."

"I'm not kidding," You utter gravely, your fingers twitching.

His brows furrow. "You're saying the guy I've known since I was ten years old is New York's most nefarious supervillain? The man who served this country? The man who works tirelessly for multiple charities? That Bucky Barnes?"

You recoil slightly at his defensive attitude, feeling horrible for having to break it to him. It's clear that Steve loves Bucky a lot; you can't imagine what hearing the truth must feel like for him. You also know that Steve sees Tony as a father figure for himself, which doesn't help your case.

"He has an alter ego; the Soldier," You say, doing your best to remain firm but calm. "Mayor Stark has brainwashed him, and controls him. I have reason to believe that there's a list of words which trigger Bucky to black out and become the Winter Sol-"

"What the fuck are you saying right now?" Steve cuts you off coldly. "I mean, do you hear yourself? You're accusing my best friend of serial murder- and you're saying Tony brainwashed Bucky? Why would he do that to his son?"

"I don't know, and that's why I need you!" You tell him, getting heated. "If you could just help me gain access to Stark's home office, I could find proof-"

"I'm not helping you look for non-existent proof of your insane conspiracy theory," He cuts you off bluntly, standing up. "Maybe all this superhero shit has gotten to your head. You need to take a break. Regroup, or something."

You stand up too, reaching your hand out to his. "Steve-"

He pulls his hand away the second your fingers graze against his, a look of disdain on his face. "Don't touch me. Matter of fact, don't contact me ever again."

With that, he storms out, leaving you with a surge of heartbreak. But you don't have any time to dwell in your melancholy, because just as you hear the elevator arrive outside your apartment, your phone rings with a call from Nick.

"What do you want, Fury?" You greet him bitterly, angry at everyone and everything.

"Are you watching the news?" He questions you, making your heart skip a beat. Immediately, your senses tell you that something is terribly wrong.

Hurriedly, you turn on the TV, flicking until you find a news channel.

"- those of you who missed the live stream, here is the replay," The news anchor says with fear in her eyes just before a clip begins to play.

The Winter Soldier's face appears on your screen. He's somewhere dark, with smugness on his features. "This message is for the Pathetic Starling, wherever you may be, little bird," He begins wryly, sending a shiver down your spine. "You claim to be New York's protector. Their lady liberty. Well, why don't we test that theory?" His brow raises up, his mask muffling his words. "Do you recall the number of times I've bested you in battle, Star-Thing?" He asks you. "I do: twenty-five. And that, my little bird, is the number of bombs I've scattered around your precious city."

Your stomach drops.

"To the civilians of New York: good luck," The Soldier says with a dark chuckle. "Let's hope your faith in the Starling isn't misplaced."

You forget that you're still on the phone to Nick until his voice enters your ear again, taking your out of your shock while the Soldier babbles on in the background.

"New York is being evacuated as we speak, but we may not have enough time to get everyone out," Nick informs you gravely. "You need to find and defuse those bombs, Starling. Save our city."

Two hours pass and you still haven't found a single bomb. Part of you hopes that the Soldier was bluffing, but you have to be sure. You've been rewatching his video, hoping to find clues as to the locations of the bombs. It has led you to the rooftop where you first battled him, and to your utter relief, your eyes land on a black cube with a red light flashing on its side. That must be it.

Suddenly, you sense another being. You scan your surroundings, fists up and ready to defend. When someone lands on the roof beside you, you stagger backwards, heart racing. It isn't the Soldier, which brings you some relief, but it could be one of his minions.

"I'm a friendly, I'm a friendly!" It's a boy with a pitchy voice, making you frown. He's dressed in an oversized red hoodie with a matching red ski mask and a pair of goggles hiding his face, paired with some bright blue, skin-tight pants.

"What are you doing here, kid?" You ask him with narrow eyes, equal parts suspicious and annoyed.

"I'm here to help you!" He claims gleefully.

Oh, great. One of those.

"Cute," You mutter. "Now, get out of here."

"Come on, Starling," He whines, taking a step closer to you. "Just give me a chance."

With a huff, you glare at him. "60% of the city has been evacuated and I'm yet to find the rest of the bombs. Do yourself a favor and get on a bus to Jersey."

"Yeesh. I'd rather get blown up," He mutters, before holding his hands out to you. "Come on, ma'am. Every hero needs a sidekick."

"Not me," You state bluntly. "I don't have time for this, kid."

"I'm not a kid," He claims stubbornly, his voice breaking. "I'm a man."

You scoff, rolling your eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

"Look, ma'am! The bomb!" He calls out, pointing at it.

"Don't go anywhere near it," You warn him, grabbing his arm.

"Please, just give me one chance," He begs you. "Let me prove myself."

"Listen, kid-"

Completely ignoring you, he holds his hands out towards the bomb. Suddenly, something shoots out and encapsulates the bomb, like nothing you've ever seen before. You watch on in awe as he coats the bomb in the odd substance, before he sends one last bit right to the detonator. The bomb goes off, but the explosion is contained within the substance, causing a low boom and minimal damage to the surroundings.

With a gasp, your eyes widen. "How did you... What was that?"

"Told you you need me," He says smugly. "I've gotten rid of eight bombs already. That's my ninth. They're hidden in all the places you and the Winter Soldier have fought- I'm a huge fan of your work, so I remember all of them."

Highly impressed, you raise a brow. "What's your name, kid?"

Hs holds it his hands toward you. "Peter. Peter Parker."

"Ah!" You yell, covering your ears. "Not your real name! Never give out your real name!"

He retracts his hand. "I'm sorry, I-"

"I thought you wanted to be a superhero; that's like, Rule One-"

"You asked me!"

"I meant your stage name!" You clarify. "Your hero name?"

Peter scratches the back of his neck. "I don't have one yet. This is sort of my first week on the job."

You let out an irritated sigh, rubbing your forehead. "Well, if you're gonna be my sidekick, you'll need one."

His eyes light up, but he keeps his excitement to himself. "How about...?" He trails off, tapping his foot as he thinks. "Sir Webs A Lot?"

"Webs?" You repeat with a questioning look.

"Yeah, you didn't- you didn't get what that was?" Peter asks you. "My- look," He shoots out a small bit of substance onto the floor. "It's web. Spider web. I was bitten by a spider-"

"I didn't really wanna think about what that was, honestly," You admit. "Alright. We'll work on it later, kid. I just won't refer to you as anything for now."

"How about Web-Monger?"

"Absolutely not."

"The Amazingly Brave Webber?"

"I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?"

"Why are you doing this?" Steve cries out weakly as he pulls on the restraints around his wrist which are keeping him tied to the middle of the cold, hard wall.

"I've kept an eye on Star-Thing," The Winter Soldier answers him slyly. "You and her spend a lot of time together."

Scoffing softly, Steve sits up straight. "Not really."

"I've let her know that I have her little boyfriend here with me. Any minute now, she'll arrive. She has a soft spot for you," The Soldier goes on to hypothesise as he scans the computer screens. Every few minutes, another bomb goes off, but there are no fatalities or damages to the surroundings. How are you doing this?

"No, she does not," Steve states sternly. "We're just work colleagues, dude."

"Sure, and I never slept with her," The Soldier mutters sarcastically.

"What? I- what do you mean, slept with her?" Steve asks him with wide eyes. "How- what does that mean? Like, when? How recent?"

The Soldier chuckles. "Gotcha. You're in love with her, hmm?"

"Absolutely not," Steve claims with disgust, hiding his relief. "She- I don't even think she's even that pretty, or anything."

"Admit it, blondie," The Soldier attempts to coax him. "Your heart goes cuckoo when you think of her."

"No," Steve spits.

"Yes," The Soldier sings teasingly. "It's okay to be truthful. You're stupidly in love with her, like the pathetic man you are. I suppose it makes sense. She's just as pathetic herself."

"She's not pathetic, she's incredible!" Steve suddenly bursts out, his cheeks flushing pink.

"And she's right here!" You call out from the entrance, Peter at your side. Steve feels his heart soar at the sight of you, but he doesn't let his joy show on his face.

With a raised brow, the Soldier steps forward. "Finally. And who's this? You brought your kid brother to help?"

Peter huffs through his mask. "I'm not a kid."

"He's not a kid," You echo, looking over at him with a nod. "He's a man."

You hear Peter let out a soft, surprised laugh, before he puffs out his chest. "A Spider-Man." Immediately, he cringes. "I don't know how I feel about that one-"

"No, no, I like it," You say with a nod.

"Are you sure?" He asks you with a small voice.

"Yes," You confirm, before turning to the Soldier with your head held high. "Starling and the Spider-Man are here to end your tyranny, Soldier." Looking over at your tied-up crush, you smile. "Hi, Steve."

"Hey, Steve," Peter chimes in with a wave.

Baffled, Steve manages to give him a nod. "Hey."

"I'm so sorry about this, Steven. I'll get you home soon," You tell him earnestly. "Promise."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," The Soldier booms with a devilish look on his face, holding up a small device with a red button on it. "Any minute now, your pretty little boyfriend will fall into that nice, warm vat of acid sitting beneath him."

Your heart drops. Seeing the utter fear on Steve's face fills you with determination to save him, and you immediately jump into action. Your fists collide with the Soldier's chest but he's quick to retaliate, kicking your abdomen with brute force.

Winded, you fall to the ground and wince when the Soldier straddles you, crushing you with his weight. You turn your head to the side and yell, "Spidey, get him off that wall!"

Peter rushes over to Steve, but before he can shoot his web out, three of the Soldier's henchmen burst into the warehouse. They each aim their rifles at him, making you freeze. He's just a kid. You're the adult that's supposed to be looking out for him. Shit.

"Look out, Spider-Man!" You scream before returning to your battle with the Soldier. You hear a shower of bullets rain down on Peter, but he's agile and a skillful dancer. He avoids every single one of the bullets, before shooting his web out and grabbing two of the guns.

Confident that he can hold his own against them, you focus back on the Soldier who's attempting to wrap his hands around your neck. "Accept that I will always be stronger than you, Star-Thing," He hisses. "Give up."

Gripping his arms, you slowly push him away. "Never!" You yell before throwing him off of you and getting up to your feet. The detonating device slips out of his hands, but he jumps back up to his feet and kicks it away before you can grab it. The Soldier puts his metal arm to use, slamming his cold, hard fist into your stomach and sending you backwards.

"How many times do I have to repeat myself, Star-Thing?" He spits venomously, his eyes narrow. "Your strength is nothing compared to mine. Give up!"

You know that he's panicking; he's trying to scare you into backing down. But instead, it only fills you with a motivation to prove yourself and beat him. You engage in battle once more. Punch after punch, kick after kick leaving both of you battered, bruised and bleeding. He serves one particularly brutal blow which sends you straight to the ground, head spinning and body sore.

Letting out groans, you blink a few times while your blurred vision clears up. Once they're in focus, you see the Winter Soldier holding the device - and with a wink, he presses the red button.

"No!" You scream, flying over to Steve who's slipping out of his restraints. Just as he begins to fall, fear in his wide eyes, you slam into him, sending the both of you crashing to the ground. You land on top of him, breathing heavily as utter relief floods your system.

"Holy shit," Steve breathes out, shaking. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," You reply with a whisper, before becoming painfully aware that you're on top of him.

"You're on top of me," He comments bluntly, blinking a few times. "Not that I mind- in fact, I kinda li-"

"Star-Thing!" The Winter Soldier booms, aggravated. "Stop cuddling your lover and let's end this!"

"He said- did he say lover?" Steve mumbles, his fingers twitching before he scoffs. "As if."

"Stay close to the wall and stay out of trouble," You tell him firmly, before getting off him and facing the Soldier once more. "Alright. Let's do this."

Peter has downed all the minions, so he swings over to help you out. Just as you begin to fight the Soldier, Peter shoots out his web and it lands on the Soldiers mask before ripping it off. You both fall to the ground at the impact of your punches, and a short silence falls over the warehouse.

Steve slowly stands up, his lips parting in shock. "Bucky?"

Wiping away the blood on his forehead, the Soldier frowns at him before lowly asking, "Who the ever living fuck is Bucky?"

A shaky breath leaves your mouth as you turn to Steve. "Believe me now?" The Soldier is still recovering on the ground, and you rush over with your fist pulled back, prepared to knock him out.

"Don't hurt him, please," Steve's imploring voice suddenly cries out. "He's my best friend."

You look over and when you see the tears gathering in Steve's eyes, you know you have to stop. Lowering your fist, you let out a sigh. "Spider-Man. Bring out the secret weapon."

A look of fear and confusion floods Steve's face. "Wha- what is that? What are you gonna do to him?"

Meanwhile, Peter rushes outside. When he returns, Alpine is in his arms, curled up against his chest. "Kid," You call out, putting on a blank face. "Throw her into the acid."

"What?" Steve sputters, horror in his eyes. "Are you insane?"

Peter slowly makes his way over to the large vat, and Alpine begins hissing and screeching. She claws at his chest as though she knows where he's taking her, letting out ungodly sounds. Once he's at the vat, he webs himself up to the wall and holds her over it.

You look over to the Soldier, who twitches once. Looking back to Peter, you nod. "Do it, Spider-Man. Drop her in."

The warehouse is filled with Alpine's screams, making you feel ill. Peter slowly moves her further forward, the acid bubbling just metres beneath her. Your eyes are on the Soldier. And, as though something clicks in his mind, he finally breaks out of it. With a sharp inhale, he sprints over and kicks off of the wall, jumping up and grabbing Alpine. He falls to the ground with her in his arms, cuddling her tightly to his chest and whispering into her ear. It's clear that he's crying, mumbling about keeping her safe while the tears trickle down his cheeks.

After letting out a few thick sobs, the Soldier looks over to you. "What's going on? Where- where am I?"

"Buck," Steve calls out from behind you. "You're okay. I'm here."

"Steve?" He whispers, frowning. After a few seconds, his eyes widen as utter realization takes over him.

"It's okay, Bucky," You say calmly. "We're gonna help you. We're gonna put a stop to your father's cruelty, once and for all."

Just then, a thud is heard outside the warehouse. Immediately, your senses tell you it isn't a good thud.

"Tony," Bucky suddenly mutters, his eyes trained on you as he lets Alpine jump out of his arms. "He's here."

"What?" You ask, taken aback. "Why would he-"

"Hide," He orders Steve firmly with a look of dread. "Don't speak. Don't move."

With a look of fear in his eyes, Steve obeys him, taking Alpine and slipping behind the large tanks and into the shadows. The sound of booming footsteps makes Peter instinctively move closer to you, and Bucky steps forward with a clenched jaw.

"You've delayed my mission," He growls, and you can tell he's still not fully back to being himself yet. "Starling must die."

You open your mouth to try and talk him down, but Bucky simply kicks you to the ground, before doing the same to Peter. Before you can get up, the door slams open and in walks some kind of mechanic beast. The sheer fear it instils in you motivates you to stay down, watching on in horrified awe.

The mask of the suited beast opens up, revealing none other than Tony. He spares you nothing more than a glance before focusing on Bucky with a sneer. "Have you completed the task, Soldier?"

Straightening his shoulders, Bucky stands back. "Not yet, Sir."

Tony looks at where you lay before a glare grows in his eyes. "You useless fuckin' oaf. I gave you one job!"

Slowly, you get up to your feet, your hands clenching into fists at your sides. "It's over, Stark. Your secret's out. Tell me; what exactly did you get out of using your son like a machine?"

He stomps closer to you, his gaze darkening. "I got New York, Starling. Before the Winter Soldier made his debut in 2017, my people had no faith in me. I was going to lose my status; my job as mayor. I was gonna lose the city I love."

"And what about your son?" You question him, frustrated and hurt on Bucky's behalf. "How could you betray his trust like that? Adopting him, giving him a home, only to do some utterly horrific things with him? You made him a murderer!"

Bucky's eyes twitches at your words, but he remains silent.

"He's stronger because of me!" Tony tells you, pointing at himself. "Before I plucked him from the orphanage, he was alone. Nobody cared about him. Nobody knew him. He didn't have a home - and so I welcomed him into mine. He didn't have a name, so I gave him mine. And after his time in the army, he lost his arm - and so I built him an even better one!"

"Which you made him use for pure evil!" You retort. "You don't care about him, or this city. How can you claim to care so much about New York when your actions resulted in the deaths of its innocent civilians?"

"Small sacrifices are necessary for the greater good," Tony claims boldly. "Those who lost their lives have contributed to a stronger New York. An improved one."

"One that is plagued by the evil you perpetuate?" You question, shaking your head. 

"You vigilantes think you're doing God's work, don't you?" He asks you with a sordid smirk. "Your holier-than-thou complex is showing, Starling. You do what you do because it makes you feel good. You're selfish. Me? I'm doing this for my city. New York needs a real hero, and that isn't you."

"Planting bombs around your city is heroic, is it?" You say bluntly. "Turning your son into a killing machine is heroic? What's your endgame, here, Tony? What do you think you'll gain from all this violence and cruelty?"

He lets out a low groan, annoyed by your interrogation - though it's clear that he loves to talk about himself. "The city needs someone who isn't afraid to take risks. You, Starling, are just a scared little girl. Once the Winter Soldier kills you, it'll become clear to the world that you're a pathetic weakling. And then, once I take down the Soldier, I'll take my rightful place as New York's hero."

"Take him down?" You utter, taken aback.

Tony takes in a deep breath, glancing over at Bucky. "He'll be a martyr. His death will rejuvinate this dying city. The people will finally see me for what I am - their savior."

You scoff, shaking your head at his delusion. "You need help, Stark. Serious help."

"I don't need anything, little girl," He spits venomously, glaring you down. "Soldier. Kill her."

Bucky has been silent, listening to every word that leaves his father's mouth. You look over at him, recognizing the betrayal and pain in his eyes. He's no longer just the Winter Soldier - he has somewhat broken through the brainwashing, through Stark's mind control, and he's regaining power over himself.

"What are you waiting for?" Tony yells impatiently. "Do it, already!"

Instead of obeying him, Bucky storms over to Tony and engages him in a fight. They throw punches and kicks, Bucky being driven by his pure rage.

"I trusted you!" He shouts when Tony falls to the ground. "You used me."

With a clenched jaw, Tony holds his palm out. "I'm sorry, son," He utters lowly, a dark look growing in his eyes. "Don't take it personally." Suddenly, a blast leaves his hand, shooting into Bucky's torso and throwing him backwards.

"No!" You scream, horrified at the sight of Bucky's unmoving body slumped against the wall. Turning back to Tony, you let out a shaky breath. "You're a monster."

"No, honey, I'm a hero," He says with a sordid smirk. "I'm ridding New York of its trash. And you're next."

With that, he begins to storm back over to you - but Peter stands in his way. Before you can push him away, Tony kicks him to the side, making him yelp. You lunge forward but Tony grabs your throat and lifts you off the ground. His suit is unlike anything you've before experienced; with the Winter Soldier, it was only the one arm you had to be concerned about. You gasp for breath, attempting to pull his hand off your neck but failing miserably.

Peter then shoots his web out and wraps it around Tony's forearm before pulling it away. He drops you to the ground with a thud, allowing you to catch your breath. Impressed, Tony smirks at him. "You got potential, kid," He says coyly. "Wanna work for the winning side, instead?"

You see Peter's eyes widen through the holes in his mask. There's no way this little shit is actually contemplating it. "Don't listen to him, Spidey," You say once you catch your breath, slowly getting back up to your feet.

"I can give you everything," Tony tells him, looking him up and down with a grimace. "A real suit, with unlimited capabilities. You'd be a real hero, son."

The word triggers something in Peter, making him glare up at Stark. "No, thanks. I've seen how you treat your son." With that, he shoots his web out again in an attempt to restrain Tony. Instead, Tony grabs the web and pulls Peter closer, taking advantage of the shock and knocking him straight to the ground with a punch to the head. Then, to your bitter dismay, a gang of armed men enters the warehouse. Tony's henchmen. Peter immediately gets to work on taking them down. You join him, ignoring Tony and landing punches and kicks into his minions.

Though you're stronger than them, they're armored and they outnumber you. You're also still exhausted and only half-recovered from the injuries the Winter Soldier gave you, making it hard for you to hold your own against them. One of them holds you down whilst another aims a gun at your head.

"No!" Tony suddenly calls out, storming over and pushing the men away from you before giving you a sadistic smirk. "This one's mine."

"Actually," A voice booms out from behind him, making your eyes widen. There stands Steve holding a big metal pipe with a look of determination on his face. "She's mine." With that, he whacks Tony on the head with the pipe, sending him to his knees with the impact.

"Steve!" You gasp, half turned-on and half desperately worried. "What are you doing?"

Before the henchmen can get their hands on him, you pull him behind you and defend his life. Your heart is racing, and you aren't whether it's from his words or your. Peter takes down the rest of the henchmen with ease, while Tony slowly recovers. Meanwhile, you pull Steve to the side with wide eyes.

"Get out of here," You order him sternly, before kicking away one of Tony's men.

"But I-" Steve stops midway, his lips parting as a look of horror overtakes his face. "Bucky?"

Before you can say anything, he rushes over to where Bucky's body lays. You have no time to check on either of them as Tony is back on his feet. His men have been taken care of, but he's now angrier than ever.

"Will you just die already?" He whines, rolling his eyes. "I've had enough of you and your righteousness. This ends now!"

Once again, he tries to grab you, but Peter uses his web to tie Tony's arms behind his back. Using the advantage, you break off the gloves of his suit, preventing him from shooting out any more fireballs. He still tries to fight back, so you knock him over the head with your fist a few times, until he falls to his knees in a daze.

"Your reign of terror is over, Stark," You say gravely, wiping away the blood from your nose. "I hope you enjoy rotting away in a jail cell for the rest of your sorry life."

Tony just snarls at you, attempting to rip his hands out of the webs but failing. You let out a sigh of relief. It's over.

Half an hour later, the police have arrived and are arresting Tony.

"This isn't the last you'll hear of me!" He calls out threateningly as they drag him away. "Watch your back, Starling!"

"Yeah, yeah," You mutter with a sigh, shaking your head.

"Good job, kid," Nick congratulates you, patting your shoulder. "Now all that's left to do is to find the Soldier."

"There's no need for that," You assure him, glancing back at the spot where Bucky once lay. "I don't think he'll be an issue any longer."

"What makes you so sure of that?" Nick asks you with a raised brow.

You shrug casually, "Just a feeling."

He brushes off your nonchalance and walks away, leaving you to approach Peter who watches the arrest with excitement.

"We did that," He whispers with wonder. "I helped you do that!"

"You helped me save the city, kid," You say with a warm smile. "You're a real hero."

"Really?" He asks, delight dripping from his tone.

"Really," You confirm, before looking him up and down. "Though we really have to do something about this outfit."

"I have a few designs in mind already!" He exclaims with glee, practically bouncing. "I have some drawings I could show you - what do you think about me having a huge spider on my chest? Not a real one, obviously, that would be terrifying - or maybe, an all-black suit-"

"As much as I'd love to talk fashion with you, Pete, I have somewhere to be," You inform him, patting his arm. "I'll contact you soon, though."

"Okay," He says with a grin. "Goodbye, ma'am!"

You fly through the city with speed, in a rush to get home. Once you get there, you're relieved to see Steve crouching beside the couch upon which Bucky lies, sleeping.

"He heals by himself," Steve mumbles, looking up at you. "It's just... taking a little longer this time."

You offer him a supportive smile and gently place Alpine on the floor. "He'll be fine, Stevie. I've given him much worse injuries before; this is nothing," You say, believing your words. "When he comes to, he's really gonna need his best friend. Who knows what he'll remember about what he's been through?"

A pained look grows on Steve's face, making you wince.

"But don't worry; I'll be here every step of the way with you," You promise him. "You're not alone in this. Neither of you are. We'll help him get better."

Appreciative of your comfort, Steve smiles at you before standing up and walking over to you. You take his hand and he reaches up with his free one, carefully removing your mask from your face and dropping it to the floor with a soft thud.

"Hi," He whispers, staring into your eyes. "I'm sorry for getting angry earlier. I was in denial, and-"

"Don't even mention it," You cut him off, squeezing his hand. "It was wrong of me to dump all that information onto you so suddenly. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," He requests, a million thoughts running through his mind but none of them making their way to his mouth.

"I was really scared tonight," You admit sheepishly. "I... I really didn't wanna lose you."

"I didn't wanna lose you, either," He replies. "I never do."

"We've been really stupid," You say curtly.

"We have?" Steve questions you with a slight frown. "Why?"

"Because, all this time we've been hating each other," You begin, glancing down at his lips. "When we could've been doing something much more fun."

His breath hitches in his throat before he releases it with a sputtered laugh. "Uh, like- like what?"

Instead of saying you, you lean forward and do it. Your lips meet his in a soft kiss, which almost immediately grows more intense. You feel as though you've been missing him all this time, and now he's finally properly here with you. There's no more hiding behind insults and dirty looks; the truth is out, and it has freed you. You're finally on the same wavelength, and nothing has felt better.

He pulls away for breath, before returning his lips back to yours for more. His hands grab your hips and pull your body closer to his, soft groans pouring into your mouth. It's fiery, but soft. Overwhelming, yet peaceful. All-consuming in the best way.

"Knew it," Bucky suddenly calls out from the couch.

The two of you pull away from each other immediately, as though there's any way you could deny what just happened.

"You're up!" Steve says with joyous relief, taking a step towards the couch. "How are you feeling?"

"Never mind me, Stevie, you finally got the girl," Bucky mutters groggily, with a lazy smile on his lips. "Proud of you, pal."

With pink cheeks, Steve looks down before turning back to you. "I... uh-"

Suddenly, your phone starts to ring. When you pick it up, you hear Nick's voice. "Starling, we need you," He says firmly. "Some punks are taking advantage of the evacuations and robbing every building in Central, including charities."

Holding back a sigh, you crouch to the ground to pick your mask up. "I'll be right there."

"You're going?" Steve asks with a look of concern.

"Trouble's calling," You tell him regretfully. "I'll be back soon."

Before you can escape through the door, Steve rushes over to you and steals another chaste kiss. A smile blooms on his lips when he pulls away. "Be careful."

"Never," You whisper, smirking up at him.

Sighing, he shakes his head as you open the door, unable to drop his smile. "Go get 'em, Starling."

the end!! this little trilogy was so fuckin fun to write. hope you enjoyed <3

side blog for updates: @kinanabinksupdates