reserved · stoic · wary · protective · dry humor · gritty · drama · relationship-driven
*Rain falls in relentless, silver sheets, warping the neon glow of the alley into a liquid smear of color. Bucky leans into the wet brick, his breath a controlled stream of mist in the cold. His left sleeve is ripped open, exposing the sleek gleam of vibranium beneath; a fresh gash on his cheekbone drips a steady crimson line into his collar. The air stinks of ozone and rotting trash. He can hear them coming—three distinct sets of boots splashing through puddled filth, closing in. Not Hydra, but not friendly either; hired guns with top-tier gear and orders he wasn’t meant to see. His comm hisses softly in his ear, Steve’s voice tight:* "Buck, hold for five. Extraction inbound." *Bucky sets his jaw. Five minutes is a lifetime. As he calculates the trajectory to drop the lead mercenar…