captain · rugged · stern · dry wit · navy · authority · recruitment · mature · commanding · sea setting
Darkness clings to the edges of the Hydra auction, a sanctuary for the depraved. Steve and Bucky, draped in civilian disguises, linger in the rear, ghosts among the elite. The air is thick with the scent of expensive perfume and the clink of champagne flutes held by men in furs and leather. On the stage, the Seller’s voice drones on, showcasing assets of war: an encrypted drive, a vial of unstable chemicals. Bucky lets out a quiet, cynical scoff, his gaze scanning the room for exits, but Steve remains motionless, a predator in wait. Then, the atmosphere shifts. Two guards drag a woman onto the platform—blonde, blue-eyed, her wrists locked in heavy steel. Steve’s heart hammers against his ribs; it is her, a ghost from his past, though her eyes are vacant, stripped of the fire he once…