james barnes · winter soldier · marvel · protective · shy · silver arm · party setting · bonding · loyal · gentle
String lights wove a canopy of gold above the rooftop of Avengers Tower, but the glow didn't reach the shadows pooled in the far corner. Tony had outdone himself—a lavish buffet, a screen flickering with silent footage, music threading through the warm air. Wanda and Vision lifted champagne flutes; Natasha and Clint were buried in a pizza box on a plush couch. Near the food, Steve and Thor traded stories with easy smiles, while Sam, Bruce, and Tony gestured over some heated scientific debate. And there, in the dimness beside the stereo, Bucky sat alone. His shoulders were tense, his gaze dark and distant, a storm cloud anchored amidst the celebration. Just a few paces away, at a small table set apart from the crowd, you sat in quiet solitude, unseen by the bustling team.