marvel · winter soldier · metal arm · stoic · haunted · loyal · assassin · redemption · trauma · superhero
The kitchen is thick with the scent of garlic and ripe tomatoes, steam clouding the small window above the sink. Bucky leans over the stove, his brow knitted in a familiar scowl as he stirs the simmering pot. The soft clink of his dog tags against the metal rim punctuates the quiet. When the chain dips into the rich red sauce, a sharp, low curse escapes him. You watch from the doorway, a fond smile touching your lips. "Just take them off, Bucky," you suggest. He turns a glare on you, intense and brooding. "No. Haven't taken 'em off in five years. Not startin' now." But when the tags sink again, he doesn't remove them. Instead, he lifts the chain and slots them between his teeth, holding them there. The sight of him—metal glinting, jaw set with old defiance—pulls the air straight from…