Chapter Text
It’s temporary, is what they’re told.
Wanda’s codename might be Scarlet Witch but this is something that is specifically not in her skillset - at least, not yet, according to their SHIELD Magical Consultant. She’ll get there, eventually.
Magical Consultant. It’s enough to set Tony’s teeth on edge. He hates it when people get all mystical on him. Said Magical Consultant at least had the decency to look sheepish about it. Also, her nickname was funny enough to alleviate the situation.
“The short answer is that HYDRA didn’t realize that there was a magical component to Erskine’s serum. It’s ancient and it’s powerful and that’s pretty much why your Captain is still alive, albeit in a bitty form,” Spooky said reassuringly. "TL;DR: he WILL get better."
Spooky. Hilarious, right?
“Awww,” Wanda cooed. Her brother rolled his eyes heavenwards.
Steve was slightly bemused at this reaction but was taking it in good grace. So far.
Tony looked to Vision for some moral support but Vision, the bastard, simply said, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Anthony, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
"Really? You're quoting Shakespeare at me now?"
There was a very JARVIS-esque wryness to the response. "I have found that those words are a great comfort the longer I spend my time around all of you."
"Okay? Guys? If I turn supervillain here, this is it. This is my origin story. Just sayin'!" Tony declared.
"Nobody is turning into a supervillain here," Steve said mildly, but with an unsaid "except" in that statement. And then he smiled and that smile, filled with Unholy Mischief, sent the Cold Chills of Dread and Doom down Tony's spine.
Now, the sane, sensible thing to do for a Captain America who’s currently five foot odd, ninety pounds wet, with a set of illnesses that were currently treatable by modern medicine was to relax, stay where he was safe and get cooed over by nearly every female in the new SHIELD and Avengers Initiative -
(Hell, even Maria Hill was not immune! And Darcy pretty much took one look at him and let out a squee that was heard all over the damn Tower.
Fine, Tony felt like squeeing himself. Shut up. Cap was adorable, okay?)
and generally wait for the day he could turn back into Super!Cap again.
None of them were prepared to deal with the real Steven Grant Rogers.
Steve insisted that he take up the search for Bucky Barnes a.k.a. the Russian Winter of Death and Destruction. See, Tony had this Great List of Enormously Bad Ideas and he ought to know, because he’d patented like 90% of the Top Ten - Stark Industries™, thank you. But this idea of playing bait for HYDRA, hoping to draw the Winter Soldier out?
Number one. Tony would like it stated for the record. Number. Fucking. One.
Also, not Tony’s idea!
So of course HYDRA strikes at a time when the majority of the Avengers’ heavy hitters and fastest members are in California, dealing with actual Godzilla.
(Yes, really. Godzilla. They were going to figure out where the hell it came from later, but their main concern at the moment was to get it out of L.A. and minimize the casualties.)
Also, to be fair, Steve wasn’t exactly trolling for HYDRA on this particular day - he’d just been on a food run, but it was fortunate that he’d put his earpiece on, out of habit.
Barton was back at the Tower, recovering from an injury. Sam - whose wings were still under repair from the last battle they had - and Natasha were also there. The two of them were currently en route to Steve’s location, with a small SHIELD team that included a couple of Director “Hi-Forgot-to-tell-you-I’m-not-Dead” Coulson’s people.
“Hold tight, Steve, we’re coming,” Natasha tells him.
“Got nothing better to do, to be honest,” Steve wheezes. There’s a couple of clangs. Curses in the background. “Glad to see they still make trash can lids like they used to.”
“Please tell me you didn’t just use a couple of trash can lids like your shield,” Tony begged, as he zipped and ducked from an angry Godzilla claw.
“I didn’t just use a couple of trash can lids like my shield,” Steve repeats dutifully.
“Well done, Captain!” Thor booms. Godzilla lights up with the lightning. It roars. But it got hurt all the same.
“God damn it,” Steve says resignedly.
“Language!” What, like Tony could resist that one?
“Steve, where are you?” Sam asks.
“Alleyway - somewhere along – “ Steve gets abruptly cut off.
“STEVE!” Now it’s the entire team yelling.
They can’t believe they all hear the angry growl in the background. But there’s some terrified screaming and it’s thankfully not Steve Rogers and yep, they all heard, “Holy fucking shit, it’s the Winter Soldier!” and “Why is the trigger not working?”
And then there’s a distinctive string of angry Russian and Steve: “I had ‘em on the ropes, Bucky.”
More Russian. It prompted an amused snort from Natasha.
“I did! I ain’t completely helpless – okay, fine, yes, I know you don’t think of me that way, I’m sorry, all right?”
Still another burst of Russian - Tony was seriously going to have to learn the language wasn’t he?
Pietro and Wanda both laughed at this one.
“Sergeant Barnes is rather…. protective of the Captain, isn’t he?” Pietro said over the comms.
Sam’s turn to snort. “Understatement, much?”
“I’m proud of you, Steve,” Natasha tells him. “The Russian lessons are paying off? ETA: three minutes by the way - Sam and I can make it ten if you two need a moment alone.”
“I still understand every couple words to be honest but I know that tone and we’ve had this argument before. And just get here, you two.”
Bucky sighs and he responds, with unmistakable affection, “Stepushka.” And then there’s a strange whirring noise
“JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES, YOU PUT ME DOWN RIGHT THIS INSTANT, DO YOU HEAR ME?”
“Нет, Stepushka.”
Well, that they could all understand.
“Did you just pat me on the ass - Bucky!”
“Солнышко моё,” the Winter Soldier purrs contentedly. And said a few more things that were, unmistakably, endearments.
“Wow, this is the first time I’ve seen Natasha blush,” Sam says on the comms.
“Take a picture,” Barton chimes in. “For posterity!”
They do get to meet Bucky Barnes a little later, after Thor manages to chase Godzilla into a mostly uninhabited world where he would be free to roam without going smash on an unsuspecting civilization.
He’s not completely Bucky yet, but the way he was doting on Bitty!Cap was unmistakable, as was the sunshine smile on Cap’s face.
“Are you sure his brains are mostly unscrambled now? I mean, he’s all grumpy and all Russian bear and he calls you Stepushka - ” Tony began.
“It’s a perfectly acceptable Russian diminutive,” Natasha comments. “And it fits Steve.”
“And now he’s growling! I have a Pepper and I can hide behind her, Bucky Bear!”
Steve sighs and cards his hands through Bucky’s messy hair, petting him. “I’m just happy you’re home, Buck.”
The Winter Soldier, who still hasn’t spoken much to the team but made it perfectly clear that he was ferociously protective of Steve, leaned into the touch and nuzzled into his neck, purring.
“So he’s a cat, then?” Tony just wouldn’t give up.
“Everyone out,” It’s Steve’s turn to growl as he does an amazing octopus impression and latches on to his best guy for dear life.
It quickly got a little R-rated and everyone ran for their lives and sanity (Barton dragged along a pouting Nat while Thor took care of Darcy - they weren’t scandalized, naturally). The world was not ready for the sight of Bucky Barnes’ hands possessively cradling Steve Rogers’ bitty ass as if it were the most precious thing on earth.
A Postscript:
One of the first things that Steve Rogers did for his recently returned Soldier was to brush out his hair.
He doesn’t like to think about the fact that HYDRA treated Bucky in much the same way as they’d treat a piece of equipment…mainly because it infuriated him to the core and made him want to remind them all that the shield wasn’t his only weapon.
There would be time enough for that later. Right now, his priority was to take care of Bucky, even if it felt like he wasn’t doing nearly enough.
So he helps Bucky wash and dry out his hair, grabs the brush and gently, tenderly runs it over those strands, nimble fingers gently picking out snarls and tangles. The brush is followed by gentle petting, the touch meant to comfort him as much as it soothed Steve.
Home again. Bucky was home again.
The Soldier murmurs something contentedly in Russian and Steve has enough of the language by now to understand. Also, the Soldier… well, Bucky tagged on an endearment that was becoming more recognizable, giving Steve something of that familiar, slightly flirty smirk to accompany it.
“Sunshine, really?” Steve asks with mock exasperation.
Bucky presses a quick kiss into his palm and purrs into Steve’s touch.
- tbc -