18 Works by pipermae
Listing Works
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“Look,” she says, folding her arms loosely. “We’re both adults. We spend most of our lives stressed out of our minds due to conditions way out of our control. We barely sleep, and the closest thing anyone here gets to a personal life is Yelena trying to emotionally terrorize one of us for her enjoyment.”
Bucky doesn’t say anything. He does watch her carefully, however.
“So,” Ava continues, “I thought perhaps we might… you know. Consider a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
Bucky continues to quietly stare at her. The pieces begin to assemble in his mind, but he refuses to jump to any conclusion just yet.
So he asks, “What arrangement?”
Her expression is maddeningly calm as she elaborates, “I mean us sleeping together.”
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(Plot partially inspired by SunsetMaiden's wonderful "Seducing the Winter Soldier")
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A Clean Bill-y Of Health by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
20 Aug 2026
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She’d been a pediatrician for more than twenty years. Had checked more than a thousand babies, some of them with considerably more “pedigree” than others, if their parents were to be believed.
None of them could prepare her for the folder that landed on her desk with a small “A” at the top - the one letter everyone in New York knew the meaning of - as well as the word “CLASSIFIED” written across it in red ink like a warning.
More so for its contents:
Barnes, William James. Newborn male, priority clearance.
For a moment, she could only goggle at the words, because the terms “newborn” and “Avengers” really didn’t make any sense. At least, not when taken together.
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Bucky hates missions like this.
The ones where he needed to dress up. Play the role of someone so far removed from his own self that it’s almost funny. Stand in a crowd of unscrupulous people and pretend he wants to belong with them.
Tonight, he hates it all the more because Ava loved them.
Now she is six months dead, and Bucky is wearing a tux with fucking ruby cuff links because the world is cruel enough to keep spinning even without her.
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A mission throws the New Avengers into an event where Ava's promise to "always come back" haunts them - especially Bucky - in the worst way.
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Interlude by pipermae for HerBitterSweetness
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
03 Jun 2026
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"We move in thirty seconds," Bucky says quietly.
Ava stares at him.
How he can remain so calm in the face of them dying sometime after those precious thirty seconds were up, she has no fucking clue.
“All right, then,” she replies, nodding quickly. “Thirty seconds it is.”
And suddenly, what she does in those thirty seconds feels very important.
Because, given how things are faring, there might never be anything after that.
There might never be another chance to do anything other than fight for survival. Fight for humanity. Fight for whatever good was left in this universe.
The realization hits her with startling clarity.
And her brain immediately goes: are you fucking serious right now?
Because really?
This is the moment she chooses to act on her pathetic one-sided crush on Bucky Barnes? When they're both bleeding and filthy and literally moments away from running back into a death trap like suicidal idiots?
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Retail Warfare by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
04 Apr 2026
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By now, Yelena has spent enough time with both Ava and Bucky to know three things with absolute, unshakable uncertainty:
One: Ava Starr likes soft things.
Two: Ava Starr likes stupidly expensive things.
Three: James Buchanan Barnes is about to make that a specific store’s problem.
And the fact that Yelena has a hand in making these things applicable to a single afternoon? Definitely makes a random Saturday the group spent shopping a hell of a lot more fun.
Series
- Part 9 of Yelena Belova Is a Menace
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A Wrinkle In Time by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
03 Feb 2026
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“Hey,” Ava whispers. “Hi.” Her face then breaks into the kind of smile he’d never let himself imagine was meant for him. “I’ve missed you.”
Bucky freezes. Doesn’t move. Doesn’t breathe.
Because this has to be a dream.
A cruel one. A beautiful one. This is his brain being unnecessarily vicious, stitching together stolen glances and painful longing into something soft and vivid enough to hurt.
And if he so much as breathes wrong–
–he knows it’ll disappear from his eyes like smoke.
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Specific Skill Set Required by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
18 Jan 2026
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Yelena likes Ava. Ava is efficient. Ava is lethal. Ava does not loudly comment on people’s appearances the way she does when people make stupid assumptions about quantum physics or tea.
Which is why Yelena almost smiles when Ava does exactly that as soon as Yelena clicks to the first slide, and their target’s face - Viktor Kovač - fills the screen.
“...Oh.” She leans forward, indicating extreme interest in what she’s seeing. “Wow. He’s… really handsome.”
The room freezes.
Across the table, John’s eyebrows jump just a fraction as his eyes bounce from the screen to Bucky and back again, then knit together as realization hits.
Because the man on the screen?
Looks distressingly familiar.
But only if one has spent enough time staring at one Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.
Series
- Part 8 of Yelena Belova Is a Menace
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Bob: So, #GhostSoldier refers to you and Ava
Bob: As a ship 🚢
Bucky: You keep saying that like it means something. It doesn’t
Bucky: Because we’ve never been on any ship
Bob: No, no, man
Bob: You’re not ON a ship. As in YOU’RE a ship
Bob: As in people are shipping you two.
Bucky: To where
Bucky: We’re not cargo
Bucky: Who’s attempting to ship us
Bucky: Because I’m telling you now, no one is touching Ava or me.
Yelena: Not with THAT attitude, they won’t-
Bucky Barnes learns about fandom (unwillingly)
Series
- Part 7 of Yelena Belova Is a Menace
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Don't Tense Up by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
30 Dec 2025
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And then Bucky Barnes does something Yelena never imagined he would do:
He loses.
Willingly. The fight finally draining out of him in one rough exhale.
“Fine,” he says quietly. “Do what you want to me, then.”
And just like that, everything shifts.
Now they’re here. Yelena’s on the far end of the couch, cleaning her own shallow wounds with wet wipes and disinfectant. She’s very aware she could leave, by the way. Go to the medbay herself. Shower. Clean up. Except she does none of those things, because there’s no way she was going to miss what was happening in front of her:
The slow, methodical dismantling of James Buchanan Barnes at the hands of Ava Starr.
Series
- Part 6 of Yelena Belova Is a Menace
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Tuesdays Are For Chaos by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
20 Dec 2025
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Yelena sidles up to John and steers him toward the water cooler with a grip that suggests any form of resistance will result in all kinds of bodily harm.
“Johnny, sweet Johnny,” she starts cheerfully, “you are about to help me ruin a good man’s day, just so you know.”
John squints at her, already suspicious - but deeply interested. “Ruin how? And whose?”
Yelena grins and tilts her head, eyes flicking pointedly toward Bucky, who has very obviously stopped pretending not to watch Ava unroll her shoulders with deep intensity.
John follows her gaze. Understanding dawns. Slowly. Dangerously.
“You want to mess with Barnes?”
Sometimes, she really appreciates how intelligent John can be.
“Yes,” Yelena agrees readily. “For science.”
Series
- Part 5 of Yelena Belova Is a Menace
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The Medbay TeleBelova by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
12 Dec 2025
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“I’m fine, Bucky,” Ava says, sounding irritated and tired. Not exactly angry angry, but still strained around the edges. “How many times do I have to say it?”
Yelena very carefully does not react, because no. Ava is very much not fine, if Yelena remembers the earlier events correctly. Deep shrapnel gouges to the lower ribs tend to do that to a person.
As if hearing Yelena’s thoughts, Bucky answers tersely, “Didn’t look fine out there.”
Ava huffs a breath, the very one that might’ve been a laugh if it weren’t for her injuries. “That’s how missions go. Especially ones where we’re fed wrong intel and to a hundred mercs.”
Bucky’s boots stop moving.
“Ava.”
Just her name.
But it’s heavy with all the things he likes to pretend aren’t there.
Yelena almost cracks an eyelid open because she really wants to see Buck’s face, but nope. The key to successful eavesdropping is absolute stillness, you see. So she stubbornly arranges her face in the universal expression of ‘unconscious but still unfairly pretty’ and continues to listen.
For science.
Series
- Part 4 of Yelena Belova Is a Menace
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Bucky Barnes Behavioral Chart by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
01 Dec 2025
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Summary
This document is the culmination of years (fine, three weeks) of close observation, field notes, and involuntary participation in James Buchanan Barnes’ Rude Acts of Heroic Manhandling as well as his chronic suffering of Ava-Related Softness Syndrome (ARSS). It is funded by emotional damage, powered by spite, and formatted with unbelievable degrees of pettiness.
This paper aims to shed light on the wildly uneven distribution of his physical and emotional chaos when it comes to the government-recognized members of the New Avengers. And Bob. But mostly those in active duty, namely us.
What you are about to see is 100% accurate, unbiased, and peer-reviewed. You may interpret “peer-reviewed” loosely since said peers are mostly contributors to this document. Who may or may not have also chosen to write and/or contribute to this instead of doing twenty official reports.
Series
- Part 3 of Yelena Belova Is a Menace
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Emotional Espionage by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
19 Nov 2025
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Yelena doesn’t mean to spy.
Okay, so that’s a lie. She absolutely does, but only when it’s entertaining.
Also? Because observing other people’s romantic incompetence has become her daily spiritual and psychosocial enrichment.
Like right now.
Ava’s asleep. But that's not remarkable by itself.
But what is remarkable is the man currently sitting beside her.
Barnes. Winter Soldier. The Grumpiest Avenger.
Sitting. Completely still. And even more remarkable? He’s draped his jacket over Ava’s shoulders. Carefully, precisely, like placing a blanket over a skittish animal, without managing to wake her.
Something completely unnecessary by the way, considering a) the Quinjet has an adjustable thermostat, b) it isn’t that cold, and c) Ava runs hot anyway.
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Yelena being a menace to Bucky and his feelings because someone has to be
Series
- Part 2 of Yelena Belova Is a Menace
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People Magazine’s Sexiest Avenger by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
28 Oct 2025
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“Oh, you gotta be kidding me.”
John’s voice echoed from the common room, equal parts disbelief and personal injury.
Yelena didn’t even look up from her toast. “What is it this time? Did someone use your towel again?”
“No!” John barked, then corrected, “Well, yes, but that’s not the point. Look at this!”
A tablet was suddenly thrust under her nose. On its screen: People Magazine’s annual ‘Sexiest Avenger’ issue. And there, in big glossy letters above a photo of Ava leaning against a Quinjet, arms crossed, half-smirk in place —
#1: Ava Starr (a.k.a. Ghost).
Yelena nearly spat her coffee. “Oh my god. They picked her?”
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Yelena nodded at him. “Man keeps his circle tight. He doesn’t even trust his own security. The only way to get to his devices is through personal contact. And he does love women who look like trouble. That’s you.” She pointed at Ava.
At this point, John really couldn’t help himself.
“Wait, wait, hold up. She’s the one doing the talking now? The woman whose entire shtick involves disappearing into walls?”
Ava’s head whipped toward him, eyes narrowing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means,” John said, grin now in place, “you’re better at ghosting people than mingling with them. Not sure how that’ll work when you’re supposed to stand out.” He motioned at Voss’ hologram. “This thing? Seems a little outside your skill set, don’t you think?”
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Ava goes undercover.
And, of course, John hates it.
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John: WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS????
Yelena: YOU SPELLED FIC WRONG, ASSHOLE
John: THIS IS INSANE? OKAY? I WOULD NEVER
John: I DON'T
John: AVA IS???
John: FUCKING HELL
Yelena: See, THIS is your character
Yelena: Not Nordstrom Captain America
Yelena: EVERYONE GOT IT WRNG-
Yelena discovers GhostWalker fanfiction. CRACK (I'm sorry)
Series
- Part 1 of Yelena Belova Is a Menace
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She smiled, slow and predatory. “Here’s the deal. You want Ava? Then you need to be clever. I won’t gift-wrap and deliver her to you. But… there might be opportunities."
"I'm listening," he said.
Of course he was. "I can put her in the field. On a mission. And you know missions, there's a thousand ways they could go wrong. Teams get separated. She might end up, oh I don't know, at the wrong place, the wrong time.”
His gaze sharpened. “You’re dangling.”
“Of course I am.” Valentina leaned back in her chair, enjoying the taste of the wine now. “If your people can extract her in the middle of chaos, then congratulations, she’s yours. But if you fail…” Her smile widened. “Well, you’ll lose millions in resources, dozens, if not hundreds of men, and worst of all? You’ll have a pack of assassins masquerading as heroes ripping your empire - or your face - to shreds. That’s the risk.”
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Just another day of business for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
At Ava's expense, unfortunately.
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Hold Your Position by pipermae
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025)
28 Sep 2025
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Her lungs screamed for air. Her body refused to move. Panic gnawed at her ribs.
And then, somewhere through the haze, a groan. A very human, very irritating groan.
“Walker?” she rasped.
“Still alive,” came his voice, muffled and gravelly. And too close. Way, way too close.
Ava blinked grit out of her eyes. When her vision swam into focus, she realized she wasn’t just under rubble; she was unfortunately pinned beneath a slab of hefty concrete, with Walker practically plastered on top of her.
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fic based on an art on X about GhostWalker being stuck on a small space :D