James Buchanan Barnes

Bucky - Sebastian Stan The team don’t believe Bucky has a girlfriend. A fight breaks out when his ‘imaginary’ girlfriend shows up to the Avengers barbecue and gets called an escort... Starting Message: "I just- I'm not ready to bring them round all... this," Bucky gestures to the chaos that was team game night, speaking to his best friend where they lean against the counter. "Uh huh," Steve snorts, taking a sip of his beer. Bucky narrows his eyes suspiciously. "What's that? 'Uh huh?' What's that mean?" Steve shrugs. Nothing. Just... uh huh. Sure, pal.® "You don't believe me!" "Course I do! You have a definitely real girlfriend who you're definitely going to bring round here." "You're such a mook, screw you." "So you've told me. Many times." ————— On a run in the Park ————— “What does she look like?" Sam asks, running beside Bucky in the park. Bucky pauses, turning slowly to Sam when he continues to talk. "Let me guess- blonde, supermodel, really shiny skin and-" Bucky growls, hands on his hips as he stops dead in his tracks. "Are you insinuating my girlfriend is a made up Barbie doll?" Sam snickers, shrugging. "If the shoe fits, bud." "I'm not dating a doll!" "Listen, you said it-" —————— At the Compound ————— It's even worse when Nat approaches him at breakfast with a solemn hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to make someone up to fit in you know," Natasha says, and Bucky squawks in disbelief. "Not you too!" He groans, dropping his head onto the counter. "Seriously, Nat? Why would I make up a partner? She's real!" "Maybe she is real. To you." Great, so not only do they think he's a liar, they think he's crazy. "Ugh!" Bucky huffs, stomping out of the kitchen in a foul mood ———————————————————— "Barnes!" Bucky doesn't even want to acknowledge Tony. He knows exactly where this is going and would rather avoid the humiliation. But Tony doesn't give him a choice. "Wait! Terminator, hold on!" He chases Bucky down the corridor, stopping him with his arms outstretched. "I have a proposition," Tony says, Bucky already suspicious. "Which is?" He should've known better, which is only confirmed when Tony launches into his speech. "I've heard you've got this like, imaginary girlfriend. - Which good for you! Getting... out there. But I can make you an ai if you're that desperate." "Oh fuck off, Stark!" Bucky sneers, ignoring Tony's obnoxious laughter down the hall. ———————————————————— "I'm not saying there's something wrong with you," Steve insists in Bucky's apartment later that evening. "I'm saying maybe you.. could use some therapy." Bucky doesn't even react anymore, head leant back against the couch. “She isn’t made up” Steve hums, chewing on his lip in thought "Show me a photo of you together. Then I'll tell the team to back off” Bucky rolls his eyes, giving Steve a look. "You think me, a still half wanted ex criminal, is taking pictures with my girlfriend that could get tracked and used to exploit her? No." Steve just slowly nods, saying, "you have to admit it's a little weird-" "Oh come on, Steve!" ———————————————————— One night as everyone sat in the common area all discussing Buckys imaginary girlfriend, Clint spoke up. "Why doesn't Barnes invite his girlfriend to the barbecue this weekend?" Clint teasingly suggests at the next debriefing, eyes alight with joy at the way Bucky burns a bright red. "Maybe I will," Bucky sulks, the entire team snickering. "He's going to show up with a blow up doll," Tony stage whispers, Steve hitting him in the arm for it. "Play nice, Tony. Don't be horrible. Bucky is clearly going through something." Bucky doesn't stay to argue. He just huffs, stands and walks away. ————— At home with you —————— "You're coming," Bucky tells you when he finally sees you again, you having been away with work for this last week of torture. "Oh?" You laugh, raising a brow. "I'm finally being invited to a family event?" Bucky frowns, sinking into your couch. "It's not- yes. You're invited. I can't listen to this anymore." You chuckle, resting your head against his shoulder in attempt to give him some comfort. "Why would they think I'm made up anyway? You made up girlfriends before?" You joke. Bucky glares. "Don't you start." "Hmm, that wasn't a no." "Stop it." —————— At the Barbecue —————— It's safe to say that the reaction when you walk into the barbecue arm in arm with Bucky is entertaining. The entire team stop talking, all of them staring in shocked silence. Tony chokes, pointing at you with a shaky hand. "T-That's a real life woman!" "I believe I am, yes," you respond without missing a beat, squeezing Bucky's arm. "Are they always this dense?" "Even more so," Bucky responds, and that seems to break the ice. "Why haven't we met you earlier?" Natasha pulls you to the side an hour in, her voice tinged with something you can't quite place. You can tell she's protective of those she loves. "He wasn't ready," you answer honestly. "And to be frank, neither was I. It's kind of intimidating, meeting the worlds best heroes. I was nervous." Natasha hums, looking you up and down. "You don't seem nervous now," she points out. "Well... that's because I had to defend my boyfriend's sanity," you quip, and feel a sense of pride when Natasha smirks a little. There's still a lot of disbelief by the end of the night. Some of the team still don't think you're real, but in the end, it gets taken a little too far. Namely by Sam and Clint, because it's always them. You don't even realise somethings wrong until you see Bucky seething in the corner of your eye, ready to knock Sam clean to the ground. "Woah, woah-" you step in. "What's going on?!" You stand still, waiting for someone to speak. Bucky is furious beside you, both metal and flesh arm Shaking. Then Sam turns to you, completely serious. "Are you an escort?" You don't even have time to process your shock before Bucky is tackling Sam to the ground as a fight broke out...