Chapter 1
Bucky sees Steve through the scope of his rifle, spinning and punching, shield flashing in the sun and red, white, and blue standing out against the dust and debris all around. A creature comes up behind Steve and Bucky shoots through its ugly head, sending it to the ground. Steve doesn't even flinch, and the next moment he gets a breath he throws off a sloppy salute. Bucky rolls his eyes, setting his sights on the next creature-of-the-day that looks like a mix between a lizard and an octopus, too many legs to be efficient and oozing a strange slime that coats everything in sight and stinks to high heaven, making Bucky's sensitive nose twitch. Whatever mad scientist had created them obviously wasn't very good at his job. Honestly, Bucky thinks, what even was the point of them? There's certainly better ways to take down the Avengers. He sighs, picking off more as Tony swoops past his rooftop nest, repulsors flaring. Nat is further down the street, Clint watching her back from a similar rooftop nest and Sam and Rhodey joining Tony for the aerial strikes as the Hulk smashes all the creatures in sight.
"Hey, White Wolf, we need some more help on the ground," Tony calls through the comms. "We have enough air support, go help Cap."
"Copy that. Falcon, want to give me a ride?" He sets his sniper rifle down, stepping onto the ledge of the building.
"I got you." Sam swoops towards him, Bucky grabbing onto him with his metal arm as they make a quick descent. He lets go a few feet from the ground, landing smoothly as Sam swoops upwards again.
"Thanks."
Steve bashes a creature's head in and turns to him, grinning. "Hey pal. Lend a hand?"
Bucky rolls his eyes, drawing a gun and shooting a creature that tries to creep up behind Steve. Idiot. "Haha. Very funny."
Steve throws his shield, hitting five creatures and bouncing off before Bucky catches it, using it to slice one's head off before tossing it back to Steve.
"You love my jokes," Steve says breathlessly. "They're doggone good."
"That is-" Bucky shoots a creature between the eyes-"the absolute worst pun I have ever heard, I am divorcing you immediately-"
"Have you two ever been in a fight before? Because I'm pretty sure there's not supposed to be this much talking," Sam interjects. "Your comms are both on."
"I hate you," Bucky growls, shaking creature slime off his metal arm.
"Hate you too dear," Sam replies smoothly, strafing the creatures trying to surround Steve and Bucky.
"Alright, enough lovey-dovey talk," Stark gripes. "Let's kill these bastards. White Wolf, can you go wolfy? Track these things to wherever they came from."
Barnes sighs, the stink of the creatures burning his nose even in human form and through the red, white, and blue fabric wrapped around his face, invented by Tony to withstand almost anything. He knows it'll only be worse in wolf form. "Fine," he says reluctantly. Quickly checking for cameras he pulls down the mask, settling it around his neck before shifting. His suit, made of micro beads courtesy of Tony, recedes into a bracelet around his metal arm as it turns to his metal foreleg and the American flag fabric is now snug around his throat, Steve's dog tags clinking softly under it and comms set into the durable material. He steels himself and sniffs, the pungent odor of the creatures burning his nose as he begins to track it to the source, brushing against Steve's leg as he goes. He finds it quickly, in the sewers (of course), the sound of breathing and human scent indicating the mad scientist is there. He howls when he finds it, signaling the others. Tony and Rhodey fly over, looking down at the manhole cover he's standing over.
"Oh hell no, don't tell me it's down there," Rhodey says. "Come on."
"Dibs on who goes first?" Tony suggests.
"This is the worst." Rhodey sighs before lifting the cover and descending, Tony right behind and Bucky quickly shifting back to human form to follow, suit covering him again as he tugs up the fabric around his face. He descends, the smell suffocating even in human form. When he gets to the bottom he finds a lab with a scientist cowering in the corner as Rhodey and Tony aim their repulsors at him.
"You're under arrest," Rhodey says, and Bucky breathes a sigh of relief.
***
Bucky jogs through the debris from the fight, searching for Steve. They'd arrested the scientist and Rhodey had taken him into custody but those outside had still had to finish fighting the creatures, and Steve isn't where he left him and he's not answering his comms. The streets are quiet and filled with slime, people just peeking their heads out of doors to assess the damage. They blink at Bucky as he runs by, and he knows that he's a certified member of the Avengers now but that still no one knows his identity, always hidden under the mask. He knows they're all curious, and speculation is rampant, but he feels no need to set the story straight. He's here for Steve, nothing else. He doesn't care who the world thinks he is as long as he gets to protect Steve like always.
"Cap?" He calls through the comms again, hoping against hope that Steve will answer. "Steve?"
There's only silence. He taps into the Avengers. "Hey, anyone know where Cap is?"
"No."
"Nope, sorry."
"Sorry."
"Haven't seen him."
"Last I saw he was on thirty-second."
But Steve isn't on thirty-second. Bucky keeps searching the streets, panic fueling his strides, all his senses in high gear as he searches for Steve's unique scent but unable to find it with the pungent odor of the slime-creatures masking everything.
"Steve!" he shouts desperately.
"Hey, uh, Mr. White Wolf?"
Bucky stops, turning. "What?"
"Um." It's a kid, probably no more than twelve or thirteen, with messy brown hair and wide eyes. "Mr. uh, Mr. White Wolf, sir?"
Bucky blinks. "N-no." He shakes his head. "What's wrong kid? Do you need help?"
The kid shakes his head. "No. I just...are you looking for Captain America?"
Bucky takes a step towards the kid, hope springing. "Yeah. Do you know where he is?"
The kid nods. "Yeah, he just went into that building. A creature got in there." He points across the street.
Bucky sighs in relief. "Thanks, kid." He goes to turn but hesitates. "What's your name?"
"Oh." The kid's eyes go wide. "Um, Peter. Peter Parker."
Bucky gives him a nod, smiling under the mask. "Bucky Barnes."
Without another word he turns, sprinting into the building to see Steve helping a bruised woman coated with slime into a chair, a creature lying dead on the floor. Steve looks up at Bucky's entrance, face softening.
"Hey. Sorry, my comms are dead."
Bucky strides forwards, eyes narrowed. "Steven Grant Rogers, don't you dare do that to me again-" He yanks down his mask and grabs Steve by his uniform straps, pulling him into a kiss.