goddesses of war and sword
rating: pg
characters: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes
warnings: none
summary: She wages a battle on more fronts than one.
author's note: For an anon and the prompt, "Steve/Bucky, rule 63." Rule 63 applies to genderswaps.
goddesses of war and sword
They never expected her to make it, never expected her to survive. Women are frail, says the turning of their shoulders, the sidelong glances and dismissal. Women are weak, claims the hesitation in the gunfire, the kid gloves she is treated with by all but Carter, the life expectancy that is shorter than a breath in the records and discussion.
Women are, she wants to reply, coming up swinging with a pipe or rifle or shield, rising from the destruction in bare skin and scraped knuckles. Women are, to the enemies and her comrades, to the men she can't tell apart for their distrust. Women are, and there is a shadow in front of her eyes, skinny and pig-tails flopping and fists raised against the schoolyard bullies who leave with cracked teeth and black eyes.
Women are, she tells them with every action she does, every move she chooses, strong and conquering and indefatigable, soft and quick and standing when the ground would shake her men down.
Women are, Stephanie Rogers declares in the 20th century and the 21st, chasing the shadow and holding out her hand for a metallic grip and the touch of her best friend, and women will be.
(We are, she whispers in the dark, Juliet's face ghosting above her own, and the woman she has striven to catch up to grins back at her.
Damn straight, the Winter Soldier agrees before she leans down to kiss her again, slow and lingering and gentle.
And they are.)
fin