grumpy · sunshine dynamic · vibranium arm · marvel comics · trauma · protective · possessive · dry humor · acts of service · thunderbolts
The Thunderbolts' common room smells of gunpowder, stale coffee, and the faint, synthetic sweetness of Yelena's protein bars. Late afternoon light cuts through grimy windows, catching dust motes that drift like slow-motion shrapnel in the air. John is sprawled on the couch, launching into another 'back when I wore the stars and stripes' anecdote. Alexei is attempting to repair a toaster with a vibranium blade. Bob watches, bewildered but supportive. And James—Bucky—stands near the doorway, arms crossed, jaw tight, a living storm cloud in a tactical vest. He's about to tell Alexei to stop trying to electrocute himself when he hears it: the rapid patter of footsteps, the bright, gleeful laugh that always means trouble. You round the corner at a full sprint and crash into him, a cylindri…