Winter of the White Wolf
*** This ongoing story is being regularly updated with new chapters 1-3 times a week as the story unfolds. ***
Summary:
Picking up soon after the events of the series, this story explores the bonds of friendship, the aftermath of betrayal, and includes a lively mix of banter, action, angst, and globe-trotting adventure, as well as a deep-dive into just what happened during Bucky's two years in Wakanda.
When news of a series of high-profile murders sparks international interest, Bucky and Sam find themselves undercover to investigate a possible lead that could place it as the work of an unknown assailant that might be a part of the "Big Four."
While Bucky would prefer to believe that his time as the Winter Soldier is long behind him, strange dreams and the shadows of missing memories prompt him to realize that their hidden secrets may be the only thing standing between them and another Hydra operation of unknown ends.
But to move forward, Bucky will need to navigate the complex question of where the Winter Soldier ends and the White Wolf begins…
Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Sam Wilson, Ayo, Shuri, The Winter Soldier, Sarah Wilson, Cass Wilson, AJ Wilson, Joaquín Torres, Redwing, Yama (Dora Milaje), Nomble (Dora Milaje), King T'Challa, Okoye, Steve Rogers
Referenced Characters: Thanos, Zemo, Bruce Banner, Sharon Carter, John Walker, Tony Stark, Stephen Strange, King T'Challa, Ramonda, King T'Chaka, Riley, Lemar Hoskins, Karli Morgenthau, Vision, Wanda Maximoff, Groot
Rating: T
Genres: Friendship, Humor, Banter, Drama, Angst, Adventure
Spoilers: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Series), Avengers: Endgame (MCU)
Chapter 1 - Southern Hospitality
"Cass! AJ! Breakfast!" Sarah belted in the direction of the stairwell before turning her attention back to the guest at their table. She offered Bucky a smile and inquired, "Sleep well?" as she slid a thick plate heaping with country ham, gravy, grits, and home fries on the table in front of him and then her brother.
Bucky hadn't missed that she'd made it a habit to serve him first, and though he'd initially purely struck it up to southern hospitality, he also didn't miss the decided side-eye Sam gave him from across the table. The man could really pull off a downright intimidating brotherly glare when he wanted to, regardless if anything was going on or not. When Sam leaned back and crossed his arms warningly, Bucky decided to mime the gesture and do the same. He made it a point to thrum his fingers along the top of his vibranium hand as he sat and regarded Sam with what he hoped was a suitably satisfied grin.
Sarah had about much interest in having either of them help around the kitchen as she did having them feign being skilled mechanics when it came to the intricacies of their family boat. Over the course of weeks, Bucky'd finally stopped asking if she needed help with cooking, and instead concluded that he and Sam were to set the table and get the drinks, but he'd claimed the resulting dishes as his solemn responsibility as a guest. In the meantime: He could find new ways to irritate Sam. Sarah seemed to appreciate that bit too.
"Thanks. Everything smells delicious as usual. And yeah, slept well." The words came easy to him, even though that last bit wasn't entirely true. Sam raised an eyebrow at the comment. That man had an uncanny ability to tell if he was lying, but at least he had enough respect to not press him in front of Sarah.
Factually speaking: The nightmares had gotten better. He supposed it was just unrealistic to assume that crossing off all the names he'd written in Steve's book and handing it off to Doctor Raynor to close out their therapy sessions together would have prompted the nightmares to go away entirely. The difference seemed to be that now, sometimes he didn't remember his dreams at all, or the dreams he had were not always moored in the past that was altogether familiar. They weren't violent, just disconcerting, like they were the dreams of someone else entirely.
In rarer cases, he sometimes even found himself awash in dreams that felt like possible futures, sparkled with bits of peace and even now and then: hope. After so many years of nightmares focused on the War and his violent memories as the Winter Soldier, it seemed surreal to allow himself to look forward to a tentative future where he could define his own next-steps, even if he was still at a loss at what exactly that looked like.
For the moment though, as he sat in that inviting family kitchen, it felt like enough, though the whispers of his most recent dream did their best to call for his attention.
He pushed the thought away, focusing on the savory smells of a rich breakfast to ground himself in the present. "Thanks as always for the hospitality," Bucky added as Sarah dropped off the second round of plates and shot him a smile.
From across the table, Sam piped up, cutting off anything Bucky might've considered adding, "I slept well too, Sarah. Thanks for asking."
Sarah waved a hand in Sam's direction, "Course' you did." She turned back conspiratorially to Bucky as she seated herself at the head of the table between them, "You see how he hung that costume of his up in his bedroom?"
"Uniform," Sam tried to correct her, knowing it wasn't going to help his case.
Sarah chose to ignore her brother, "He put it right at the end of the bed. Has'ta be the last thing he sees when he goes to bed at night and first thing he sees when he wakes up in the mornin'."
"I just had to air it out," Sam defended.
"I'm sure," Bucky replied before turning his attention back to Sarah. He leaned towards her sympathetically, "If he starts wearing it around the house, just let me know and I'll have a talk with him. It's up to the two of us to make sure we keep that giant ego of his in-check."
"I'm right here."
Sarah's face lit up in a smile as the sound of feet pounded down the stairs and AJ and Cass ran through the kitchen, making tracks to their mother for their complimentary morning hug before they found their seats and quickly dug into their food.
"Morning, Bucky!" The eldest of the two announced. Cass spoke for the both of them between bites, "You and Uncle Sam up to any superhero stuff today?"
"Nothing quite so exciting," Bucky apologized, "Just the normal variety boring adult stuff after the usual morning routine."
"Will you be here after we get home from school?" AJ inquired hopefully over a fork full of steaming home fries. The question was squarely directed at Bucky.
"Yeah, of course." He quickly responded. "I'll be around for a few more days yet. Your mom wants to make sure to put me to work on the boat before I head back." He'd once made the mistake of heading back to Brooklyn without making a point to say goodbye to the two of them beforehand and he hadn't been able to live it down. To be fair, he'd been distracted about a number of pressing matters at the time, among them: Karli and the Flag Smashers, but things like that didn't amount to much in the eyes of a child. He told himself he'd do better in the future.
"Speaking of which," Sarah spoke up, "While you two are out today, why not look into getting that couch replaced with something newer that folds out. I can't stand seeing you on that lumpy old thing."
"That's very kind of you, Sarah, but the couch is fine," Bucky insisted. "You don't have to replace it on my account." He decided it was best not to remark that his apartment back home didn't have any padded furniture at all.
"Yeah, Sarah," Sam mimed Bucky's tone, perhaps a little too well.
She tilted her head to acknowledge her brother beside her, "Captain America there can afford a new couch. That one's the better part of twenty years old."
She had expert timing on the remark, because she caught Sam with his mouth full of biscuit. He held up a finger to get their attention and used his other hand to down half a glass of orange juice in record time so he could promptly respond to the statement.
Bucky was one step ahead of Sam. He twirled his fork in right hand and quickly waved it in mock surrender, "Don't worry. We'll figure something out. Promise." He had no doubt when it was just he and Sam, that this was likely to become one of those discussions later.
The two Wilson siblings had been trying in no subtle manner to convince him to consider moving out to Louisiana permanently. Not into their house, certainly, but their current arrangement of open-ended, extended visits was something of a stepping-stone that had become surprisingly comfortable. There wasn't much privacy, but he had to admit that although aspects of life in Brooklyn were familiar and reminded him of an earlier era in his artificially long life, they didn't evoke nearly the same feeling of family and belonging that this house and the people around him did.
Not that he would ever admit that sort of thing to Sam outright, of course.
Even then... now and again he'd catch himself glancing out the kitchen window, looking towards the calm waterfront and docks. If the light was just right, sometimes a flicker of memory would chance to remind him of another time, another place, and a quiet lake in Wakanda that was an ocean away.
Author's Remarks:
I debated how to get this international adventure rolling, and I figured picking up from shortly after we last saw Sam and Bucky in Louisiana is as good a place to start as any. :) I hope you enjoyed the first chapter.