Fic post! (The other dead sidekick)

[buggery]

So the lovely and talented and Robin-obsessed and insanely prolific monkeycrackmary recently posted yet more scans of Captain America and his (deceased) sidekick Bucky Barnes, with the intention of giving her fellow fanfic writers Ten reasons why [we] should write [her] a Bucky/Cap snippet.

There are parallels, to be sure, between Cap-and-Bucky and Batman-and-Robin -- particularly when the Robin in question is Jason. There was even a crossover issue where Captain America meets Batman and they discuss their dead partners, I mean sidekicks, no, I mean *partners*. But characterisation-wise, Bucky is *not* just Jason by another name, and Cap is even more obviously *not* just a Batman clone. (Even a 'Marvel? That's that other comics publisher, right?' comics fan like me knows that.)

But apparently, in addition to her magical Robins powers, Mary has magical Bucky powers, too. She managed to inspire thete1 (twice!) and caia_comica and liviapenn to write snippets for her, despite none of them having much more of an idea who Cap and Bucky are than I do. (For now, you can read their snippets, along with any that may be added later, in the comments here.)

And then I wrote one, too.


He Was -- He Is -- He Will Be


"Bucky."

Steve can hear how unsteady his own voice is. He'd think it was just the adrenaline rush that always comes with a fight. Think it's just that buzz that feels nothing but normal, when they're surrounded by unconscious bodies, and Bucky's back against his own is that *different* kind of right than when they're in the thick of combat.

Except that isn't how it's *been*, for-- For a long time. The adrenaline rush and the after-fight buzz have been his constant companions. But Bucky -- he hasn't had Bucky covering his back in so *long*...

He realises he can no longer feel (the heat and press of) Bucky's back against his. Did he... dream that? Did he just miss Bucky so much--

"Cap," Bucky says. He's right next to Steve, his voice full of the same worshipful affection as ever, and an edge of... something.

It still doesn't feel quite real. Even -- maybe *less* so -- when Bucky throws his arms around him.

"Aw, *Cap*. I missed you so *much*."

Which doesn't quite make the right kind of sense. It's been *years* for him, but Bucky doesn't look more than a few months older than he... than he had--

Bucky squeezes him tight in a hug that might actually hurt a guy who'd never been injected with super-soldier serum.

Bucky had never been quite that strong -- had he? memory is funny, and Steve's maybe more so than most -- before. The last time he'd fought at Steve's back.

Before he'd died.

"Bucky," he whispers. It comes out hoarse, maybe because for some reason his throat does hurt, a little. "Bucky... *how*..."

Bucky lifts his head from Steve's chest and meets his eyes. They're warm and brown behind the mask, and if he ever could have told himself that this wasn't really happening, or wasn't really Bucky, *his* Bucky, there's no way, now.

There's heat in Buck's eyes, too, under the warmth. Bucky still has to look a fair ways *up* at him -- he hasn't grown that much, if at all, if Steve's memories aren't just even worse-scrambled than he thought.

"Later," Bucky says. "I've been -- *we've* been waiting too long for this." And he hitches one arm up on Steve's shoulder and pushes himself up on his toes, and his mouth on Steve's isn't familiar at all but it feels like it *should* be. It feels... *right*.

Right enough that when Bucky breaks the kiss, Steve bends his own head down, trying to follow. But then he opens his eyes again (when did he close his eyes?) and -- Bucky looks... a little older, a little tougher, like he's *seen* more than Steve remembers... but he's still *Bucky*. For all that Bucky's a *soldier*, and Steve's *partner*, and has fought at his side like a man, Bucky -- still -- isn't quite a man.

Not enough for... this. That's why they never --

Bucky moves in for another kiss, but Steve gets a grip on his shoulder and holds him away. Not far away. Just enough.

"Bucky. We can't do this."

"I think we just proved you wrong, Cap," Bucky says, grinning, cocky as ever.

"We *shouldn't*."

"What good did waiting ever do us before?" Bucky's other hand slips down to... to Steve's butt and -- squeezes.

Steve tightens his own hold on Bucky's arm. "Bucky... I can't lose you again."

"I'm not going *anywhere*."

"*Bucky*. What if..."

Bucky's eyes narrow, and Steve's never felt more like Bucky is looking *into* him. "Hey," Bucky says, and moves his hand back to Steve's waist before squeezing him again. "I didn't -- we *didn't* lose each other because of... *this*."

Cocksure as ever. "Bucky... we don't know that."

"*Frag* that." Bucky presses against him, pulling himself closer despite Steve's hold. There's no way he can deny he wants this as much as Bucky does now, any more than he could ignore the feel of Bucky against his leg. "This is *right*, Steve. Trust me."

"Bucky," he says again, but it doesn't come out as a protest, because Steve *can't* protest anymore.

"Yeah. This is how it always *should* have been." Bucky shifts against him, rubs against Steve's thigh and flexes his ab muscles against... against Steve's -- his tights, and-- "Kiss me again." Bucky's brown eyes are full of promises. "Steve."

He can't do anything else.


(end)


Title purloined from this WWII propaganda poster.

Edited to add: Thanks to Te for audiencing, to Mary for telling me I didn't blow it, and to Betty for a wonderfully incisive beta on short notice. Also I am an idiot for forgetting to give credit to the three of them when posting. ::facepalms::


Jack's other little foray into Marvel Comics fanfiction is here
Jack's more usual DC-Comics-flavoured fanfiction is here
fanfiction by Jack from all fandoms is here
Jack will probably figure out and catch up on this tags thing eventually