Bucky felt more relaxed living in a horror house for the moment. He had a husband who’d do anything for him, and two friends who had been brave enough to venture into the basement. \n\nBucky stood on the steps, blinking under the overhead light as Bruce, Tony and Steve sifted through the objects. “Found a diary,” Tony said. He waved it in the air like it was some kind of prize they should all want. Bucky just sulked, crossing his arms. \n\n“I think we’ve got some good stuff here.” Bruce peered over Tony’s shoulder. “Oh—this is—what the fuck?”\n\n“What?” Bucky asked. He joined them with Steve, looking down at chicken scratch handwriting. \n\n“The wife of the dude who killed everyone,” Tony said. “She was fucking crazy.” \n\n“She was jealous,” Steve corrected. “Not crazy.” \n\n“Let’s go back upstairs with this,” Bruce said. “I think she knew something about the house.” \n\n“I need a smoke anyway,” Bucky said. At least all was quiet for now. He was trapped on the property, but like fuck he’d die without nicotine in his lungs. \n\n“I’ll come with you,” Steve said, kissing his cheek. “Buddy system and all that.” \n\n“Sure,” Bucky said. “You just wanna watch my ass.” \n\nSteve laughed, shrugging. “Not wrong.”\n \nBucky stood on the porch with Steve, puffing a cigarette lazily. Everything always tasted better when one wasn’t sure if they’d ever experience it again. \n\n‘Don’t trust him.’ Was that? Was that in his head?\n\nBucky blinked, looking around in the darkness. Trees swayed like hanging dead. He turned back to see Steve looking at him expectantly.\n\n‘Don’t trust him.’ \n\n“Who?” Bucky was sure he heard something that time. He waited for a long time, the rain pattering on the porch roof.\n“Who what?” Steve asked. “Bucky?”\n\n “I dunno. I’m not even sure I heard somethin’ or if it was just the trees.” Bucky looked around, tossing his cigarette out into the rain. Burn the house down, he thought distantly.\n \n“What was it?” Steve asked. \n\n“Told me not to trust someone. I think. I wonder if it was the girl.” \n\nThey walked back into the house, finding Tony and Bruce poured over books and diaries all splayed out on the kitchen counter. \n\n“Oh, this isn’t weird or anything.” Bucky blinked, looking at the books. Demonic possession, how to summon a demon… What the shit? \n\n“Bucky heard something outside,” Steve said.\n\nBucky nudged Steve, glaring. Steve just sported one of his token puppy expressions. Of course Bucky couldn’t stay angry with that for more than a few seconds. \n\n“Heard what?” Bruce asked.\n\n“I think the girl? Told me—told me to watch who I trust.” \n\nTony scoffed. “Go figure. She didn’t decide to tell us where the evil bones are? Or how to break the curse or whatever? C’mon, let’s just get out of here. I’m not gonna sit around and wait to get my face chopped off. This woman bought all these books off Amazon. That is creepy and that is why I’m not staying anymore. Demons I cannot handle. Ghosts? Sure. Demons, oh fuck no.” \n\n“Tony,” Steve said, authority rumbling in his chest. “She said we had to stay, remember?” \n\n“Clint and Nat are gone. Need I remind any of you that?\nSteve rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. “We have to trust Bucky on this.”\n\n“Why?” Tony asked, backing up toward the living room. “Because some little girl shows up for him but none of us? C’mon, Steve!”\n \n“I trust him.” \n\n“Whatever.” Tony turned around, moving toward the coat closet. “I’m outtie. This is too much crazy for me.” \n\nBucky felt anxiety press into his body. It wrung out his heart and pushed sweat from his glands. He grabbed Steve’s hand, his eyes desperate. “He can’t leave.”\n\nSteve’s phone chirped. Everyone halted to stare at it, eyes going increasingly wider. Bruce swallowed thickly, watching the phone like a demon would sprout at any second. \n\n“Ya gonna get that?” Tony asked.\n\nSteve walked over to the phone, sighing in relief. “It’s Sam.” \n\n“Sam? Slow down! Slow the fuck down! What happened?!” \n\nBucky inched closer, watching Steve’s expression morph from comfort to fear to sorrow. Steve’s eyes filled with tears. He covered his mouth and whined. The sound pierced Bucky’s heart. \n\n“What?” Bucky asked. No one looked his way. “What?!” \n\n“God, fuck we thought—it was—” Steve collapsed onto the floor, like someone cut his strings. “Oh God no…God fuck no!”\n\n“Oh,” Bruce said, blinking. “This—this is real.” \n\n“What is it?!” Bucky fell to his knees in front of Steve, grabbing those broad shoulders. “Baby? Baby what’s wrong?”\n\n“Nat,” Steve choked over a sob, “Nat’s dead!”\n\nBucky fell back, like someone had tugged his collar. He stared, too shocked to fill his eyes with tears. It was her choice… and she’d chosen wrong. Bucky looked up, seeing a dark shadow move—like a man—casual and away from them into the foyer. \n\nHe grit his teeth, anger bubbling inside, putrid and noxious. He wouldn’t sit here like a duck. He’d fight. That was his goddamned best friend and ghost or not, someone either [[needed to pay]].\n

Steve cupped one hand around his mouth to yell, "But I like watching all that fat jiggle. You n' Banner have been hitting the doughnuts hard huh?" He picked up a large, heavy box and moved toward the porch.\n\nBucky laughed, momentarily letting the sofa droop before he readjusted, his long bangs getting in his eyes.\n\nSteve loved the light sheen of sweat that glistened off Bucky and how his messy bun was slowly falling back around his neck. If they didn't have company over, that couch may have been used for something else before it was even in the door.\n\nTony swayed his hips from side to side in one exaggerated motion. “Yeah, soak it up newlywed, this is the last free ass you’ll ever see work for you!” \n\n“Oh trust me,” Bucky said with a sly grin. “There’s gonna be a lot of ass-workin’ in this house.” \n\nSteve’s eyes rounded as his mouth fell open in amused shock. “Bucky!” he cried out. “You dirty scoundrel!”\n\nBucky shrugged as he set the couch down. “My husband is in peak physical condition! Can you blame me?” \n\n“Alright boys,” Natasha said as she set a cat carrier on the porch that wrapped around the house. “Less flirting and more moving? Once the sun sets we won’t see for shit out here.” She pet the Persian cat through the caged door with her finger. \n\nNatasha stood up, clapping her hands together, dusting them off as she looked up at the sky. They didn’t have much time left before the sun went down, and someone still needed to do a beer run to christen the place.\n\n“How’d Pietro do in the car?” Bucky asked. Pietro was his cat. He’d gotten the Persian back in undergrad but even then the cat was roughly full grown. They had no honest idea how old the animal was. \n\n“Meowed a lot,” Natasha said shrugging nonchalantly. “Nothing impressive.”\n\n“Do you wanna go to the store for beer before the sun goes down, Nat?” Steve asked. “We can finish up.”\n\n“I’ll go after I put the couch in with Bucky?” Tony offered. “I’d like to grab you guys a few bags of chips and other atrocious junk foods anyway and laugh as you two complain you have nothing to eat.”\n\nSteve scoffed. Tony was always making jokes about their “rabbit food” diets. They ate meats, but it was mostly poultry or lean beef if they were going the red meat route. \nSteve shrugged; he didn’t see any difference between [[Natasha]] grabbing beer or [[Tony]] going. \n

“Oh God damn it,” Bucky groaned. He crossed the room to the standing Steve, looking into his eyes. “You better be my damn husband.” \n\nSteve smiled, relief flooding his eyes. “Yeah, I swear I am.” \n\n“Okay.” \n\nThe other Steve started shrieking, his body morphing into a dark shadow that slipped from the chair. Bucky screamed, turning and banging on the door. Steve did the same. The red lights on the chair started to dim and the whole room went black. \n\nBucky felt himself pulled into the air. There was no thought in his brain. Fight or flight—or freeze. Freeze was what his body did. He slammed into the wall, the back of his head blooming with pain. \n\nSteve screamed somewhere. \n\nBucky stood up, trying to figure out where he was in the room. He clung to the wet wall, feeling like he’d just spun around too many times. “Steve?!” \n\n“Buck! Bucky I’m up here!” \n\nBucky stuck to the wall, eventually feeling a sort of draft. “Steve?”\n \n“Up here. Fuck.” \n\n“Are you okay?” Bucky asked as he started to climb. What the fuck was under their house?\n\n“I think my ankle’s sprained.” \n\nBucky crawled into the tiny area, there was a tiny, suffocating bit of light from some room above. Bucky looked at Steve’s leg. It was swollen. \n\n“You’re gonna have to walk on it.” Bucky looked up, offering a sympathetic face.\n\nSteve bit his lip, gingerly touching his ankle. He grit his teeth, hissing. “Stings. How—how are we gonna get down?” \n\n“I don’t think we do,” Bucky said. He crawled over to the small light and pushed. The earth gave way and the other side spewed into a room that looked older than the house. The same bulbous stones made up the walls. “Maybe we can go this way.”\n\n“Jesus.” Steve crawled over. “What the shit?”\n\n“I dunno.” \n\nBucky helped Steve up. They hobbled into the room. The only light was from a single candle that flickered menacingly. Bucky could swear he saw fleeting images of the little girl, peering out from the darkest shadows. \n\n“The fuck is this place?” Steve asked, sitting at an old wooden chair. He pulled a book over, looking down. “This ain’t English.” \n\n“Great.” Bucky didn’t want to look. It was bad enough he was dealing with ghosts, but now strange rooms with musty books? He missed Manhattan. He leaned over Steve’s shoulder, looking at the pictures. They looked like the stereotypical pictures one would find in a horror film—except this wasn’t a film. This was their lives. \n\n“So demons?” Steve asked.\n\n“I don’t wanna talk about demons.” \n\n“But—if that’s what’s in our house? What if it’s not actually ghosts?”\n\nBucky dropped his head on Steve’s shoulder. “I hate everything.”\n \n“I hope Nat and Clint are okay,” Steve said. “We need to get outta here. And Bruce and Tony? I wonder if they're still outside the door.” \n\n“I don’t—Steve—I don’t know what to do. How do we fight this? Do we even fight it? Or I mean—is this it?”\n\nSteve grabbed Bucky’s hands, caressing his thumbs over the knuckles. He looked at Bucky with adoration radiating off his dimly lit face. “It’s not it. I’ve got a whole life to live with you.” \n\nBucky wanted to believe it. \n\n“Should we bring the book?” Bucky asked. \n\n“I don’t see why not.” Steve snagged it, tucking it under his arm. “Help me?”\n\nThey made their way through a door into a long hall covered in mud, dirt and bugs. Battling cobwebs, spiders and other slimy creatures seemed almost more horrific than the ghosts—demons—whatever—plaguing the house.\n\nThey came up some stairs with a little difficulty with Steve’s ankle but then found themselves in a storm cellar within walking distance of their home. It didn’t belong to them, which made Bucky wonder who it did belong [[to and what they knew about it.]]\n

Steve helped him over to the bed and get him into some sweat pants. “I swear I thought someone was in there with me, Stevie. Felt hands…a body.”\n\nSteve gulped, his eyes tense as he listened. He moved to lie on the bed with Bucky, bringing the covers over them. “Wanna be little spoon tonight?”\n\n“Yeah,” Bucky whispered, scooting back into Steve’s warm body. “God, Steve… What the fuck is happening?” Tears welled up in his eyes as he lay there, gulping back sobs that threatened to quake in his throat. \n\n“We’re all on edge. Things have been…weird…today.” \n\n“Maybe I should go see if Bruce came up or somethin’.”\n\n“Bucky,” Steve groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. “No one came up here!”\n\n“THEN WHO THE FUCK WAS WITH ME?!” Bucky shouted, his face going red as he turned on Steve. “Christ, Steve…someone was TOUCHING me! I FELT him!”\n\nSteve nodded, flipping the covers off them. “Okay. We’ll go ask.”\n\n“Thank you,” Bucky huffed. He knew Steve was shaken. He could tell from how stubborn Steve was being. Steve often liked to pretend nothing was wrong if he could. He hated change (the move was a nightmare with that) and he liked to blame Bucky’s fretting on an overactive imagination. Steve worried about real things, like taxes and how many kids they’d have one day. Bucky worried about serial killers. They were both in law enforcement but Bucky stared at horrific images day in and day out. This wasn’t unlike serial killer behavior, someone sneaking in and pretending to be Steve. He just had to make sure someone was yanking his chain or he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight. \n\nTogether, they went down the dark hallway before padding down the stairs and back into the living room.\n\nTony was on the recliner trying to sleep and Bruce was still on the couch. \n\n“You two awake?” Bucky asked. “Hey, Tony!”\n\n“What?” Tony groaned. “I was almost asleep!”\n\n“Did you or Banner come upstairs just now?”\n\nTony leaned forward, looking over at Bruce. “Bruce is sound asleep and no. I haven’t moved.”\n\n“Maybe it was Clint?” Steve suggested.\n\nBucky was trembling. Someone had slipped by Steve, come into the bathroom and TOUCHED him, naked. He felt violated and vastly uncomfortable in his own skin as he rolled his shoulders, trying to shake the feeling.“Okay, I’m going to start screaming if we don’t figure this out,” Bucky warned.\n\n“Hold on,” Steve griped. “Let’s just check on Clint and Nat first.”\n\n“Did you see anyone come into the house? Hear anything?”\n\n“Uh, I heard someone walking upstairs? But that could’ve been any of you,” Tony answered, offering a shrug.\n \nBucky sighed heavily, spinning on his heel. He marched back up the stairs, going down the other hallway to Clint and Natasha’s room. He opened the door, not caring if they were fucking, sleeping or playing Yahtzee. “Did one of you come into the fucking shower with me?” he blurted.\n\nNatasha turned on the light. She was naked and pulled the blankets up. “Uh, excuse me?”\n\nBucky leaned against the doorway. “Where’s Clint?”\n\n“He said he was going to the bathroom,” Natasha defended. “Bucky, seriously? You think he’d get into the shower with you?”\n\n“Someone did!” Bucky protested. \n\nSteve finally came into the room, his hands up as he tried to calm Bucky down. “Bucky, just let it go.”\n\n“No!” he hissed. “Someone was in there with me and I wanna know who!”\n\nHe marched over to the bathroom, slamming on the door. “Clint! Did you think it was funny? Freaking me out like that? Dude I was fucking naked! I could’ve kissed you!”\n\nNo response. \n\n“Clint!” Bucky shouted again. He shook the handle but it was locked. “Oh for fuck’s sake, dude! This isn’t funny!”\n\nSteve sighed heavily, knocking softer. “C’mon Clint. Just tell ‘im you were playing a joke so we can all go to bed.”\n\nNo response. \n\n“What the absolute fuck.” \n\n“I got it,” Steve said. He lined his shoulder up, Bucky’s eyes widened as he realized what he was about to do.\n\n“Wait!”\n[[Ask to do it]] [[Tell him to be careful]]\n

Natasha cupped Bucky’s face, nodding. “It’s okay.” She pulled him into a hug. “We’ll be fine.”\n\n“No,” Bucky whispered, clutching her. “No don’t go, please!”\n\n“She made her decision, Bucky,” Clint said. “Let her go.”\n\nTears warmed Bucky’s eyes. He watched Natasha pull away, like a tumbling chess piece. He could already hear the clatter as it tumbled to the floor. She was slipping away. She was making the wrong decision… \n\n“She can’t protect you if you go.”\n\nNatasha blinked. “Who?”\n\n“The girl. I don’t—I don’t think she’s the one hurtin’ us. I think that’s someone else.” \n\nSteve bit his lip, looking around. “There’re others?”\n\nBucky nodded.\n\n“Great.” Tony leaned against the wall. “And you think because she said you’ll be fine if we play her game, that we’ll all make it out alive?”\n\n“I know it sounds crazy,” Bucky said. “I know—believe me. But I trust her. I don’t think she’s the one hurting us. I truly don’t. She’s protecting us.” \n\n“From?” Clint asked. “Look man, Nat and me are outta here. I love you guys, but we’re gone.” He laced his fingers with hers. “I’m not stayin’ to trust some ghost girl.” \n\n“I’ll call you when we’re safe.” Natasha waved, following Clint down the dark hall. Bucky bit his lip, his heart coiling in his chest. The girl worked so hard to keep Bucky here. He had to trust that she wasn’t the thing hurting them. \n\n“We should—clean this up,” Bruce said, looking back at the officer. \n\n“We can’t,” Steve said. “That’s technically a crime scene.” \n\n“A ghost murdered him, Steve,” Bruce argued. “No one’s gonna solve this case.”\n\n“Dead cops are kind of a big deal, Banner.” Steve straightened out his shoulders. \n\n“We can’t call the cops,” Bucky said, shrugging. “It’s the wrong decision.” \n\n“How do you know that?” Tony asked. “Little girl whispering in your ear?”\n\n“That’s not funny.” Steve turned on Tony, his eyes glaring a dark warning. \n\n“Look, I get it.” Tony held his hands up. “We’re scared. There’s obviously something menacing here, but what if Barton’s got the right idea? Get out now? The ghost is haunting this house, right? If we leave, it doesn’t have any power over us.”\n\n“If it’s an imprint,” Bruce said. “If it’s actually a fully-fledged ghost, there’s really nothing keeping it here aside from maybe the house brings about familiarity.” \n\n“The girl could morph into kind of an image of Steve,” Bucky said. He purposefully avoided Steve’s pained expression. “I’m pretty sure they’re strong enough to leave here.”\n\n“Which is why Clint’s making the wrong decision,” Tony said as they all heard the door close. “Shit.”\n\nBucky walked to the balcony, looking through the window above the door—a giant circular glass beacon, just like the one in the bedroom. He saw Clint’s headlights. “I know it’s the wrong decision.” \n\nSomething cold pressed into his side. He felt fingers caress over the shell of his ear—icy. He wasn’t afraid anymore. This was the right decision. He just had to play along and survive. “Oh Nat…” \n\nSteve stood by his side, linking their hands together. “So what do we do baby?”\n\nBucky flicked up his brow briefly. “Honestly? I’ve got no damn idea.” \n\n“We just—wait?”\n\n“Everything’s silent now.” Bucky turned around, grabbing Steve’s hips. “Bad things happen when we make the wrong decision.”\n\nSteve pressed his body into Bucky. He was almost all the way hard. “Would this be a bad decision?”\n\nBucky laughed, flicking Steve’s chest. “A horrible one, probably. But I want it.” \n\nSteve kissed Bucky’s neck, then along his jaw. “I think we need to help her.” He ran his hands down Bucky’s arms. “Maybe that’s why she needs us.” \n\nBucky nodded. “Yeah—I think so too.” \n\n“So while you two thrust into each other on the balcony,” Tony said, interrupting. “What do we do then?”\n\n“Learn about her,” Bucky replied. He bit his lip, curling his toes. “She’s the girl who died in the pond.” \n\n“Figures.” Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Okay—we’ll give you and Steve some space. Look up some stuff downstairs. Where’s your laptop, Steve?” \n\n“Should be in the parlor, probably on the fireplace mantle.” \n\n“Don’t be too long,” Bruce said, descending the stairs. “That may be the wrong decision!” \n\nBucky looked to Steve, nibbling his lips. “This could be the wrong decision.”\n\nSteve covered Bucky’s mouth with his, rocking their bodies together. “I don’t care.” He tugged Bucky by the hem of his pants. “I need this.” \n\nBucky whined into the kiss, lapping at Steve’s bottom lip. He followed Steve, heading for the guest bedroom instead of theirs—dead cop wouldn’t really help the mood. They didn’t have to do this, in fact, it may not even be the right decision. But as Steve said,[[ they both wanted this.]]\n

Steve nodded, looking back up to Clint. “Yeah. I guess…it’d be smart knowing. Just in case.” He felt his spine tingle as a rush of uncertainty dusted over him. Bucky had been so adamant about not caring about how the people died. They could afford the house and the deaths were ruled accidents. That’s all Bucky wanted to know, but Steve wanted to know a bit more.\n\n“C’mon, let’s go upstairs,” Clint said as he looked at his phone. “I don’t get cell phone reception down here.” \n\nSteve scanned the room once more, resting his hands on his hips. “We really should look for the bulbs though,” he mused, creasing his brow. \n\nClint waved a hand dismissively. “There aren’t any.”\n\nSteve turned around; ready to follow Clint up the stairs when something fell from one of the shelves. The two both paused, looking back and seeing a box full of children’s toys that had spilled onto the ground. “Hold on,” Steve said. He went over to the box, looking at the plastic figures, the Barbies and toy horses. “We should donate this stuff.”\n\nClint hovered atop Steve, resting his hands on his knees. “We can bring ‘em up? Put ‘em by the door. Me and Nat could take them tomorrow.”\n\nSteve smiled up at Clint. “That’d be great!” Steve put the toys back in the box. They turned to leave once more as the lights flickered. “We may have a bad wire down here. Buck’ll wanna fix it.”\n\n“Why?” Clint said as they started up the stairs. “I mean aside from the obvious.”\n\nSteve laughed. “Bucky wants to turn the basement into a workout studio for us. We’re using the bonus room right now but it’ll be nice to have a cool place for the machines.”\n\nClint nodded, pursing his lips. “Ah, nice, nice. Steve and Bucky; the ever-so-fit.”\n\nSteve snorted. “Oh please. You’ve got a six-pack goin’ last I saw!”\n\n"Ohhhh," Clint drawled. "It's been awhile since last you saw..."\n\nWhen they came back up the stairs, Steve looked over at Bucky and Tony still in the kitchen. Bucky was kneeling atop the counters as he slid a china piece atop its stand. Tony looked over at Steve and sported a dorky face and held up a peace sign. \n\n“Yeah…” Clint said hesitantly, looking down at his stomach as he rubbed a hand over it. Clint allowed Steve to walk in front of him for the foyer. “That was last summer. This is this summer. It’s down to about a four-pack, of flub. I blame marriage. Which of course, you and Buck only got fitter. Go figure.”\n\nSteve rolled his eyes. “It’s because we work out together…”\n\n“That’s what you two call screwing?” Clint teased, smacking one of Steve's defined pectoral muscles.\n\n“You’re a disturbing human being,” Steve said, eyes shimmering. He set the toys down, furrowing his brow when he saw one that wasn’t particularly like the others. He pulled out a white doll, made of cloth with no face. She had yarn for hair and what looked like red marker all around her throat. “We should probably toss this. It’s kinda creepy.” \n\nClint eyed the doll suspiciously. “Burn it. That shit’s as fucked up as the jaws.” Clint pulled out his phone.\n\n“Bucky’s in pathology. He brings home pictures of dead people all the time. The previous owners could have been…dentists…or doctors.”\n\nClint cocked a brow. “Yeah, dentists who pulled jaw bones off their patients. That’s one way to prevent cavities.” \n\nSteve rolled his eyes. \n\n"Oh hey," Clint said pointing at his phone. "1201 Cherryknoll St accident."\n\nSteve inched closer, looking over Clint's shoulder. He strained to see the tiny text that appeared on screen. \n\n"Says the dad suffered a mental breakdown and killed his kids."\n\n"But the realtor said it was an accident?" Steve said, voice cracking. He felt a cold, slow chill climb up his back, piercing into the back of his neck.\n\n"Sugarcoating, my friend. Sugarcoating." \n\n"What happened to him?" Steve blinked, curious.\n\nClint smiled. "Ah this is rich," he cleared his throat, "wife killed him. She's currently waiting to see if the state'll charge her or not." \n\nSteve's lips parted. "Jesus,that's so... I can't even find words."\n\n"Fucked up?" Clint offered. "I think it's fucked up." \n\nSteve nodded; mulling over the information. The realtor had bended the truth, that's for certain, but perhaps because the father suffered a mental breakdown, it was technically an accident? Part of Steve wanted to know how the kids died. Most of him just wanted to forget it ever happened. "Did it say where he killed them?"\n\nClint laughed. "You sick fuck!" He looked at his phone again. "One was drowned in the pond and the other two were killed in the house. Doesn't specifiy." \n\nSteve bit his bottom lip. No wonder the house was dirt cheap. Steve never liked that pond. Every time he looked at it he'd get the softest tug at the back of his knees, like he should simply just walk away and never come back.\n\n"C'mon, let's see if they need any help," Clint said, walking back to the kitchen.\n\nSteve followed, watching as Clint slunk into the breakfast nook. “Hey Buck,” Steve said looking down at the doll again. He wondered which child this belonged to. Was it the one who drown in the pond or the other two? He felt a lump form in his throat. The sight of this thing chilled his very soul. Knowing what happened in this house made him feel uneasy; like he shouldn't even be here.\n\nBucky was still up on the counter. He craned his neck, flashing a toothy grin at Steve. “Yeah, doll?”\n\nSteve held up the toy. “Funny you’d say that…” \n\nBucky’s face strained, his brow furrowed and his mouth pressed into a tight line. “The fuck?” He got down from the counter, snatching the doll out of Steve’s hands. “I’ll bet you someone was trying to learn how to make dolls?”\n\nSteve’s face brightened. He hadn’t thought of that. Though now he was left with the decision about telling Bucky of the jaws in the basement...and how the previous owners came to leave the house. He pressed his lips together, opting to ignore that for just a bit longer. \n\nBucky tossed the doll into one of the black garbage bags they had set aside in the kitchen. They didn’t have the right bags for their trash compactor yet. “Find any light bulbs?” \n\n“Nope,” Clint stated. “Just some fucked up shit like human jaws and creepy dolls.”\n\n“Woah, wait!” Bucky said, slamming his hands down on the breakfast table. “Jaws?” \n\nSteve grimaced. Guilt tug at his heart a bit for not having been the one to say it first. The move was already stressful enough; Steve didn’t want to weigh Bucky down with all the details. Now that he knew the truth behind why the house was so cheap...he wasn't sure if Bucky could stomach all that at once. He'd have to break it in pieces. Steve could barely take it all in and he'd been the one to ask!\n\n“Jaws…like the movie?” Tony asked. \n\n“No. Jaws like human jaws. They’re in one of the boxes downstairs.” \n\n“I need to see this,” Tony said, instantly going for the basement. As he opened the door and yelped, falling backwards. “Jesus mother fucking H Christ, Banner! Do you wanna die?” \n\nBruce was standing in the doorway, a look of white-horror on his face as he sputtered. “I-I-I was…I was just putting something in the basement.”\n\n“You okay, pal?” Bucky asked. “You don’t look so good.”\n\n“I uh,” Bruce said; shivering. “It’s really cold down there.” \n\n“We’re goin’ down,” Bucky said softly. “Need to check somethin’ out. Wanna just sit in the living room and warm up?” Bucky moved out of the way so Bruce could scoot by. \n\n“Y-yeah…” Bruce said, staring at the floor. “Yeah I’ll do that.”\n\nSteve furrowed his brow, watching Bruce with a keen eye as he slowly walked into the living room and curled up with a blanket. Bruce’s face was pale and his lips chapped. The way he moved was as if he’d been out sled riding all day, but he couldn’t have been down there for more than a few minutes. How did someone get that cold in that short of time? The back of Steve's neck was prickling. He tried to supress a shiver of his own.\n\nTony and Bucky went down the stairs. Steve saw the light flicker on. Clint and Steve exchanged looks, before following behind. “Were you gonna tell him?” Clint whispered.\n\n“I was just waiting for the right time,” Steve mumbled as he went down the basement stairs. \n\nBucky and Tony were already hovered over the jaws. Tony held one of them up toward the light, cocking his head to the side as he pursed his lips. “This is disgusting." \n\n“Previous owner had to be in some kind of museum or medical work,” Bucky said. He picked up one of the jaws. “This one has gnawed marks on it.” \n\n“Like…someone was chewing on it?” Clint asked. He peered over Bucky’s shoulder with a look of morbid curiosity on his features. \n\nSteve got the sudden feeling he really didn’t want to be in the basement anymore. His arms were bare, but he didn’t feel the cold he’d felt the first time, and it certainly wasn’t cold enough for Bruce to be shaking as hard as he was. He looked around the basement, analyzing the shadows that crawled from the array of various objects that had been forgotten by time. Did the father kill one of his children down here? Why would they put all the old toys in boxes and stuff them down here? What happened to that family?\n\n“We should take these to the police or somethin’,” Bucky said, looking over his shoulder at Steve. “Stevie?”\n\nSteve blinked, his gaze snapping to his husband’s. He smiled tightly. “Y-yeah. That’s a good idea.”\n\nBucky’s gaze lingered on Steve; his brow creasing, concern seeped into his ice-blue eyes. “You okay, doll?” \n\nSteve nodded. “I think I don’t like our basement.” He tried to offer a smile, but it was choked and crooked. \n\nBucky chuckled. “Well, I wanna go smoke anyway.” He tossed the jaw back into the box, turning on his heel and coming up to Steve and grabbed his stomach, massaging at his abs. “Wanna join me?” \n\nSteve could [[go outside]] into the night with Bucky, or he could [[check on Bruce]].\n

Bucky woke up on the couch. His head was bandaged, throbbing, but bandaged. Sunlight peered into the room, digging into Bucky’s eyes. He groaned, reaching up to block the rays. “Shit.” \nHe moved slowly, sitting up. The blanket pooled around him. He was in clean pajamas. The room was empty, the whole house quiet. He looked at the clock on the TV—barely 8am. “Did we do it?”\n\nHe stumbled off the couch, pulling the blanket around him as he walked into the kitchen. “Steve? Hey Steve!” He walked through the house, listening to its creaking and moaning. Everything was deathly still. He heard a phone chirp. It nearly lunged him out of his skin. He turned toward the noise, going back into the living room. Steve’s phone was on the charger. There was a text from Sam. \n\nBucky entered the passcode, reading the text: Clint’s not answering his phone. You hear anything since Nat…ya know?\n\nBucky furrowed his brow, shooting off a text to Clint on Steve’s phone: We’re sorry. We're here for you man –Bucky.\n\nHe set the phone back down, looking around the house. What happened after he got Steve out of the chair? Did they make all the right decisions? He walked into the foyer, looking over into the parlor. Everything was clean and nothing out of place. Bucky scratched his chin, staring at the windows. Sunlight spilled into the room. It was almost magical except Bucky felt like he was being watched. The back of his neck shivered. \n\nHe moved toward the stairs, moving sluggishly up the steps. Each step seemed to creak louder and louder. “Hey Steve?”\n\nHe got to the top of the balcony and stared down the hallway. Even in the light, the house still terrified him. At least he could see the hallway. He moved through it, looking into the bathroom and then knocking on the master bedroom’s door. \n\n“Bucky?”\n\nBucky opened the door, jumping into Steve’s arms. “STEVE!” \n\nSteve was cold, his skin sweating. He caught Bucky easily all the same.\n\n“Jesus Christ Steve! What happened?! After I got you out? What happened?”\n\nSteve looked to Bucky, his eyes darker than usual. \n\n“Steve?” Bucky cupped his husband’s face. “You feelin’ okay?”\n\nSteve blinked, then offered a strange smile that didn’t meet his eyes. “Long night.” \n\n“Tell me about it.” Bucky adjusted in Steve’s arms. He tried to pull away, but Steve grasped him firmer. “H—okay there tiger. Easy now.”\n\n“I love you so much,” Steve said. His eyes were void, like the light diverted away from them. He stared blankly at Bucky, blinking at an alarmingly slow rate.\n“You feel okay?” Bucky asked, bringing his hand to Steve’s forehead. \n\n“Never better. We did it.” \n\n“Beat the ghost?” \n\nSteve nodded. His movement was jerky. Bucky tried to move back, but Steve’s arms squeezed around him again. “Why do you keep trying to leave me?” \n\nBucky gulped, looking around. “I just wanted to pee.” \n\n“You’re lying.” \n\n“Steve, stop—you’re scaring me.” Bucky pulled back again, but Steve stood up with him, reaching up and grabbing his chin. He shoved Bucky into the wall. His face didn’t even move a muscle. \n\n“What’s wrong Bucky?” Steve tilted his head. “Don’t like the choice you made?”\n\n“Where’s Steve!?” Bucky struggled, violently jerking but Steve was too powerful. He held Bucky against the wall like glue to paper. \n\n“Right here. You put us together.” Steve moved closer, grabbing Bucky’s wrists and pinning them above his head. “You trusted him.” \n\nDon’t trust him…don’t trust him…don’t trust him… \n\nTears welled up in Bucky’s eyes. He gasped, jerking desperately. “W-what do you mean?” \n\nSteve picked Bucky up by the throat, letting his hands drop. Bucky had no choice but to use his hands to keep from strangling on Steve’s grip. He kicked his feet uselessly in the air, watching with eyes wide with terror. “T-Tony n—Bruce!” \n\n“They’re safe. I sent them home when I didn’t need them anymore. I never wanted them, Bucky.” \n\nBucky gasped, trying to kick Steve. Useless. He was like lead weight. \n\n“And Nat?” Bucky choked out. \n\n“She didn’t listen to my daughter.” Steve pulled Bucky in before turning and bringing a violent kick down into his stomach.\n\nPain bloomed in Bucky’s ass. He choked out bile and the world went white. Doubled over, he gasped for air, tears pushing from his eyes. “W-why?” He looked up, blinking through tear-filled eyes. “Where’s Steve?” He was desperate. The only shred of hope, lingering on dusty, threadbare stitches. Panic started to set in, clouding his judgement. \n\n“I am Steve.” He picked Bucky up again, throwing him into the wall and backhanding him. “And when he wakes up to see what he’s done, oh won’t that be a fun sight.” \n\nFear’s never really felt like this before. There’s no anger, there’s no sadness. Memories flashed through Bucky’s head. He thought of Steve’s twenty-first birthday, the first time they kissed. He thought of the day they met. He remembered Tony’s bickering, Bruce’s big words and Nat’s perfect makeup… Fear’s never looked so animated before—but it’d all played before Bucky’s eyes as he tried to claw away from Steve. \n\nSteve dragged Bucky by the ankles, yanking when Bucky clutched the dresser. Bucky yelped, feeling his joins pop. Steve swung him into the wall again, this time by the window.\n\nBucky gasped one more time before Steve’s hand was around his throat and he slid him over to the window.\n\n“Thank you for trusting your husband, Bucky. My daughter really loved the show.” \n\nIce penetrated into Bucky’s head, he screamed, flailing wildly. Thoughts still filtering with Steve’s smile, his kiss, the way he blushed when Bucky told him he was pretty—their sleepy love professions—their wishes of a full life together. \n\nBucky didn't think about death, though he knew it was happening. He could feel it coil around his heart, caressing it gently, like an old friend. It was comforting, knowing at least now he didn't have to fear the end. It was already here. Blood loss hurt. His stomach rushed cold, his eyes got splotchy. He couldn't feel the pain, though he could see the glass dancing around him, catching the light from the sun.\n\nHe thought it was beautiful… all those sparkling rays shimmering off the edges of flying glass. The world seemed to slow down as he was thrust over and over again into the windowsill. His eyes slowly focusing on Steve. \n\nHe thought Steve looked beautiful. \n\nAnd then he thought [[no more]].\n

Bucky stood at the backdoor, his fingers trembling. His friends were behind him, watching with round eyes and tense shoulders. Ghosts… Fucking ghosts… Wrong choices, right choices. Bucky whimpered. He didn’t want to die here. That cop had been brutalized. \n\nHe opened the backdoor, shocked it actually opened. The rain was lightening up. He walked along the soft grass, squelching the rain-soaked earth below him. \n\n“Oh God what am I doing?” he said to himself. He marched right up to the pond. A girl died here. He turned around, looking at Steve. He was in the doorway, watching. \n\n“Okay—uh—girl.” Bucky fiddled with his hands. “I need to know what’s happening. Do we save you? Do we help you or something? You n’ I got some kinda connection?”\n\nNothing. \n\n“Jesus.” He turned around, waving at Steve, who promptly waved back. \n\n“I don’t wanna die. I—I know you probably didn’t want to either. It ain’t fair, is it?” Bucky sat down, wincing when his fresh boxers started soaking through. “I’m sorry for what happened to you.” He looked out over the pond, aware of the hairs on the back of his neck. Terror clung to his skin like sap to a tree. “I just wanna help.” \n\n‘Don’t trust him.’\n\nBucky blinked, looking around in the darkness. Trees swayed like hanging dead. He turned back to see Steve and friends in the doorway again. \n\n‘Don’t trust him.’\n\n“Who?” Bucky was sure he heard something that time. He waited for a long time, the rain soaking through his clothes. When his feet started to tingle, he decided she wasn’t going to talk anymore. Bucky stood, sighing. \n\n“Anything?” Steve asked as Bucky entered the house, sopping wet. \n\n“I dunno. I’m not even sure I heard somethin’ or if it was just the trees.”\n\n“What was it?” Bruce asked. \n\n“Told me not to trust someone.”\n\nTony scoffed. “Go figure. She didn’t decide to tell us where the evil bones are? Or how to break the curse or whatever? C’mon, let’s just get out of here. I’m not gonna sit around and wait to get my face chopped off.” \n\n“Tony,” Steve said, authority rumbling in his chest. “She said we had to stay.” \n\n“Clint and Nat are gone. Need I remind any of you that?\n\nSteve rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. “We have to trust Bucky on this.”\n\n“Why?” Tony asked, backing up toward the living room. “Because some little girl shows up for him but none of us? C’mon, Steve!” \n\n“I trust him.” \n\n“Whatever.” Tony turned around, moving toward the coat closet. “I’m outtie.” \n\nBucky was shivering. Steve grabbed an extra hoodie after Tony was finished in the closet, offering it to Bucky sheepishly. \n\n“Got any pants down here too?” Bucky asked. \n\n“Sorry.” \n\nSteve’s phone chirped. Everyone halted to stare at it, eyes going increasingly wider. Bruce swallowed thickly, watching the phone like a demon would sprout at any second. \n“Ya gonna get that?” Tony asked.\n\nSteve walked over to the phone, sighing in relief. “It’s Sam.” \n\nBucky moved into the kitchen, peeling off his wet clothes as he listened to Steve’s voice. He’d have to wear his pants until he was brave enough to get new ones upstairs. So much for talking to the girl again. \n\n“Sam? Slow down! Slow the fuck down! What happened?!” \n\nBucky ran out of the kitchen, clinging to the archway as he watched Bruce and Tony crowd Steve more. Steve’s eyes were filling with tears. He covered his mouth and whined. \n\n“What?” Bucky asked. No one looked his way. “What?!” \n\n“God, fuck we thought—it was—” Steve collapsed onto the floor. “Oh God no…God fuck no!”\n\n“Oh,” Bruce said, blinking. “This—this is real.” \n\n“What is it?!” Bucky fell to his knees in front of Steve, grabbing those broad shoulders. “Baby? Baby what’s wrong?”\n\n“Nat,” Steve chokes over a sob, “Nat’s dead!”\n\nBucky fell back, like someone had tugged his collar. He stared, too shocked to fill his eyes with tears. It was her choice… and she’d chosen wrong. Bucky looked up, seeing a dark shadow move—like a man—casual and away from them into the foyer. \n\nHe grit his teeth, anger bubbling inside, putrid and noxious. He wouldn’t sit here like a duck. He’d fight. That was his goddamned best friend and ghost or not, someone either [[needed to pay]].\n

“Shit!” Steve shouted, scrambling up. “Officer Rumlow!” \n\nBucky ran up the stairs with them, flicking his eyes to the front door for just a single brief moment—a moment enough to see the figure of a man before it blinked out of existence. His throat closed in, but he kept running, following his friends and husband. They ran down the hall, listening to the lingering gurgles of a…was that the offier?\n\nThey found him in the bedroom. They stood in a circle, eyes as strained as glass. Rumlow was shaking, his jaw missing. He gurgled around blood and then his eyes went fuzzy—body relaxed.\n“Oh my God.” Nat covered her mouth. “Oh my God.” \n\n“Someone ripped his jaw off,” Bucky said. He couldn’t stop staring. The man was barely recognizable. What had he even done to deserve this? What had any of them done to deserve any of this?! He and Steve? Did they deserve punishment just because they wanted to build a life together in this house? They wanted to use it for something beautiful! Have children, get pets, celebrate birthdays and holidays and… Bucky’s eyes widened. And live. They were alive. That was reason enough for the dead to hate them all. \n\n“We have to go,” Clint said. \n\n“We can’t,” Steve said. “We can’t just leave his body!” \n\n“The fuck why not?!” Clint rushed in front of him, shoving Steve. “He’s dead! Your own husband was attacked!”\n\n“Hey!” Bucky cut in, separating them with his body. “Enough!” \n\n“No! Fuck this! Fuck everything about this! There’s a dead cop, Bucky’s got a cracked head and I almost got drowned!” \n\n“We have to report this!” Steve shoved Bucky aside, standing right in front of Clint. “A dead cop is a big fuckin’ deal, Clint!”\n\n“And why can’t we just call from a hotel room?!” Tony pointed dramatically to the dead cop on the floor. “He’s clearly not going anywhere!”\n\nSteve sighed heavily, looking around. “I’m not gonna stop anyone from leaving.” His shoulders relaxed, offering a tiny, tired smile. “But I’m not going to leave a fallen cop behind.” Always noble, always compassionate and stubborn. Bucky loved him for all of that. \n\n“Then I’ll stay too.” Bucky felt a giant weight lift from his shoulders. He smiled back at his unwaveringly loyal husband. \n\n“I’m leaving,” Clint said, grabbing Natasha’s hand. “We’ll call you once we get to a motel.” \n\n“Don’t yank Nat like she can’t make her own decisions!” Bucky snapped, following behind the couple. He’d known Natasha all her life. They were inseparable growing up. Best friends forever. He’d seen her with an abusive boyfriend before. It wasn’t so much Clint as just the act that jarred Bucky’s memories. It left him angry and blinded to the situation around them. She was his only priority in that moment.\n\nShe turned around, her face terrified. “He’s my husband, Bucky! That’s a dead cop!” \n\n“He doesn’t get to make decisions for you,” Bucky whispered to her, pleading. “This isn’t about what’s happening. This is about you.” \n\nNatasha looked from Bucky to Clint, licking her lips. “It’s not safe here.”\n\nBucky nodded. “I know. But I just need to make sure it’s your decision to go.”\n\n“What? You think I could actually hurt Nat?” Clint barked out a laugh. “You’re shittin’ me, Barnes.” \n\n“Barnes-Rogers.” Steve came to stand next to Bucky. “Whatever you think you gotta do, do it Clint. But you can’t make Natasha follow just because she’s your wife.” \n\nClint swallowed, brow furrowed. “Last chance Natalia. Are you gonna [[stay with them]] or [[come with me]]?”\n

Steve whined, his body protesting. He wanted to pick Bucky up and run with him. He wanted to send Bucky off in a proper funeral with a beautiful casket and tears from his loved ones. He wouldn't have that chance if he stayed here now. \n\nHe kissed Bucky's dead lips, crying. \n\n"Hurry, hurry," the ghostly girl taunted.\n\nSteve ran down the hallway. He had to get out. He had to find Bruce or Tony--someone and get everyone to know that he didn't kill Bucky! He didn't kill Bucky! He would NEVER kill Bucky. \n\nSteve reached the balcony when someone grabbed him by the back of the neck. He was flung into the air.\n\nHe had no time to think as his head came cracking down on the hardwood below. His neck twisted, snapping. \n\nHe died with wide eyes, staring up at a spot just a bit too dark to be natural... \n\nWhen the cops came in, they found his body first. After a sweep of the house, they found Bucky and Officer Brock Rumlow.\n\nSteve's death was ruled a suicide. The papers said he'd killed Officer Rumlow and Bucky. \n\nThe only people who knew the truth though? Bruce and Tony? They never spoke about it to anyone. They recoiled away from the world, hiding with sage and salts. \n\nNever again...\n\n...Never. Again.\n\nEND (Oh no! You found a bad ending! Feel free to replay the game and go down different paths for new stories! Or, press the back button and find out where you went wrong by exploring the other option trees! Hope you find a better option!)

"Clint, you wanna go check it out with Nat?" Bucky asked. "I'm not going back up there."\n\nClint rolled his eyes. He opened the hallway closet under the stairs and pulled out two baseball bats. "C'mon, baby. Let's go scare us a little girl."\n\nNatasha shrugged, sending a sympathetic look Bucky's way before following.\n\n"It's okay," Steve whispered into Bucky's cheek. He kissed him a few times. "You hit your head. It's probably just your mind, like Tony said."\n\nTony nodded. "The mind is a seriously powerful organ, Bucky."\n\nBucky sucked in a breath. He couldn't shake the fear that gripped him. But he'd wait. Clint was brave and so was Nat. They were upstairs already, he could hear them walking. Doors opened and closed. They heard a yelp, followed by laughing. Everything seemed okay. Bucky even started to believe it until...\n\n"CLINT! CLINT OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!" Nat shouted.\n\nEveryone raced from the living room and scrambled up the stairs. Natasha was banging on the bathroom door. "CLINT OPEN THE FUCK UP!"\n\n"What happened?!" Tony asked. He pulled out his phone and used it as a flashlight.\n\n“He said he was going to the bathroom,” Natasha said, panicked. "Then the door closed and he started screaming and now it's silent!"\n\n"It's that girl! I swear she's not huamn!" Bucky shouted.\n\nSteve held hands up as he tried to calm Bucky down. “Bucky, we don't know that yet.”\n\n“No!” he hissed. “We gotta get the damn door opened!”\n\n"Clint!" Natasha banged on the door again.\n\nSteve marched up to the bathroom, slamming on the door. “Clint! Did you think this is funny? Freaking us out like this?”\n\nNo response. \n\n"This isn't a joke, Steve!" Natasha defended. "Clint! CLINT OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!" She was about one drop away from hysteria. Bucky moved to hold her, pulling her away from the door. Tony and Steve were up in the front. Bruce held onto his bat just a little tighter.\n\n“Clint!” Tony shouted. He shook the handle but it was locked. “Oh for fuck’s sake, dude! This isn’t funny!”\n\nSteve sighed heavily, knocking softer. “C’mon Clint. We're gonna break it down!”\n\nNo response. \n\n“What the absolute fuck.” Tony raised his bat, ready to strike.\n\n“I got it,” Steve said. He lined his shoulder up, Bucky’s eyes widened as he realized what he was about to do.\n\n“Wait!”\n\nSteve was used to breaking doors as a police officer. But if something truly went down, Bucky was the one better at looking at...the dead. Two options: [[Bucky Break Door]] or [[Steve Break Door]].

Steve flicked up his brow, licking at the side of his mouth. “Okay. I’m gonna head upstairs, if you’re okay with that?” After an entire day of lifting boxes, furniture and the stresses of some dumb kid getting into the house, Steve just wanted to curl up in his brand new bed in his brand new house and just sleep. He grabbed a few candles and some matches to take with him.\n\n“Yeah, don’t worry. I’m just gonna take a look around the porch and see if I find him,” Bucky responded. \n\nSteve stood up, walking over to give Bucky a quick peck on the lips before heading toward the stairs in the foyer. “I’ll wait up for you,” he said, lacing his voice with an unspoken hint. So he wasn’t really wanting to just sleep…\nBucky ran his tongue along his top lip. Steve could see the lust in his eyes despite the darkness of the room.\n\n“Yeah,” Clint groaned. “We’re gonna follow you up, Steve.”\n\n“I’ll be up in a minute,” Bucky said as he turned for the backdoor. \n\nSteve, Clint and Natasha made their ways upstairs. The darkness of the night and the clouds of the storm didn’t help how absolutely dark it was in the long hallways. “See you in the morning,” Steve sang out as he began walking down his part of the U-shaped hallway. \n\n“Night, Steve,” Natasha mumbled as she slipped her arms around one of Clint’s. Clearly the night’s events had gotten her a bit nervous too. \n\nSteve walked down the dark hall, watching the lighting flash through the window at the end. He felt his skin crawl; the back of his head tingling like someone was following. He turned around, seeing no one. “Jesus, Steve,” he said under his breath. “Get it together.” \n\nWalking into his room, he lit one of the candles and just…took a moment. Sure, things had been a bit strange today, but this was home. This was his new home and he was starting a whole new life here with Bucky. He bit his lip, attempting to suppress the smile that blossomed against his lips. \n\nHe slipped out of his jeans and shirt, padding over into the bathroom, candle in hand, so he could take a cleansing towlette to his face and underarms. He’d been sweating and while he knew Bucky didn’t exactly care if he smelled anything but like a freshly cleaned baby, he cared, so he was going to freshen up. \n\nHe look at himself in the mirror, running his hand along his jaw, looking at the various imperfections of his skin. Something moved in the corner of the mirror. Steve spun around, his gaze darting around the large bathroom. Nothing. He sighed, cursing inward at himself. He was letting the events of the night take a toll on him. It’d just been a kid… That’s all. Surely whoever had entered the house was long gone, safe and sound in their own bed. \n\nSteve walked back into the bedroom, slipping under the covers. He heard someone walking down the hallway, getting closer. He sat up, waiting to see Bucky turn the corner into the room but Bucky never came. Furrowing his brow, Steve stood up, inching toward the cracked door and leaning his shoulder against it lightly. Nothing. Steve shook his head in disbelief at himself. He’d gotten to the middle of the bedroom when he heard someone running in the hall this time. \nSteve bolted for the door. He strained his eyes, using what little light from the night outside to see down the long hallway. No one was there. He twitched his shoulders, feeling as if he was being watched again. “C’mon Bucky…” Steve whined silently. He walked back into his room, attempting to look out the window and into the sheeting rain. Bucky said he was just going to look around the porch. Steve wouldn’t be able to see him from here anyway. \n“What’re you doing?”\n\n“JESUS!” Steve screamed, jumping practically out of his skin. Bucky stood there, sopping wet, but he was holding Pietro, also soaked through his fur. \n\n“Pietro was outside?” Steve asked, chest heaving from being startled. \n\n“Yeah,” Bucky said cautiously, still staring cautiously at Steve. “You okay?”\n\nSteve shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just…new house.” \n\nBucky nodded, looking down at his cat. “Pietro was up in a tree. He was screaming.”\n\n“Screaming?” Steve walked over to scratch the wet cat behind his ear. “Is he hurt?”\n\n“No. I think the storm spooked him pretty badly though,” Bucky said as he pressed a kiss against the cat’s fur. “Smells awful though…” \n\n“Yay wet animal,” Steve stated sarcastically. “We can keep him in the bathroom.” \n\n“Let me shower real fast? This rain makes me feel greasy.”\n\n“It’s just water,” Steve countered with a light smile. \n\n“I know, but I still feel kinda gross. Sweatin’ all day and shit.” \n\nSteve crawled into bed. “Yeah. Crack the door though?”\nBucky rolled his eyes, grabbing a candle and bringing it into the bathroom. “Sure, doll; anything for you.”\n[[POV Switch: Keep Door Wide Open]] [[POV Switch: Crack door just a tad]]\n

Natasha sighed, biting her lip. She looked between Clint and Bucky. Smiling sadly, she cupped Clint’s face, and kissed his lips softly. “I love you, but I’m staying.”\n \n“What? Nat—”\n\n“I know.” She stepped back, linking her arm with Bucky’s. “But I don't think it's right leaving that cop. Just like Steve.” \n\nSteve nodded, a soft smile on his lips.\n\n“You’re outta your mind, Nat!” Clint was about to grab her again, but he looked to Bucky then backed up. “It’s not safe here.”\n\n“You're right. But these are our friends.” \n\nClint kissed Natasha’s cheek, brushing his nose over hers. “I’m not leavin’ without you.” \n\n“Then I guess you stay with us,” Natasha said, nodding. “Because I’m not leaving Steve or Bucky.”\n\nClint sighed, rolling his neck. “I’m gonna regret everything, aren’t I?”\n\nBucky laughed. “Probably.” \n\n“Okay, so we stay. What do we do then? I mean—what do you do when there’s a ghost out to kill you.”\n\n“We should do more research,” Steve said. “Find out why they died, what was built here first. Maybe this was a battle zone or a graveyard.” \n\n“Check if the father went mad or if he had any preexisting conditions,” Bruce supplied. “That’s a big clue.”\n\nBucky nodded. “Okay. So we just—learn? And then what?”\n\nSteve shrugged. “You’re the one callin’ the shots, baby. We’re all following you.”\n\nBucky’s lips parted. He wasn’t a leader. He’d never been a leader in his whole entire life. He always followed Steve or Natasha’s lead on anything. If he got up to trouble, that was Natasha’s fault. If he ended up with a black eye, that was Steve’s. Everyone’s gaze felt heavy on him. He felt naked. “I think research sounds good."\n\n“As long as I don't hafta go into any more bathrooms.” Clint said. Natasha rubbed his back, nodding.\n\n"Alright," Bruce said, rubbing his hands together. "Let's [[get research]]ing!"\n

Steve walked into the house, turning to watch as Bucky jogged off toward a tree. Rain and pond water pitter-pattered off Steve’s body, making him shiver. He walked into the living room, his clothes squelching as he walked.\n\n“Oh wow,” Tony said as he sat at Bruce’s feet, both under the covers together. “You okay?”\n\n“Fell in the pond,” Steve replied dully. “Goin’ to bed.”\n\n“You should take a bath,” Bruce suggested. \n\n“I just wanna wash off and go to bed.”\n\nSteve continued to sop through the house, heading upstairs and reaching his fingers out to help him navigate along the long, dark hall. He’d forgotten to bring up any candles but he was pretty sure they had a few up here anyway. Lightning lit up the hall. For a brief moment, Steve thought he saw an outline of a person at the end of the hall. He gasped, pressing against the wall behind him as his eyes adjusted back to the darkness. It was just his eyes playing tricks on him. There were no such things as ghosts… \n\nHe walked into the bedroom, peeling his wet clothes off and tossing them into a corner. Padding over into the bathroom, Steve turned the shower on and hopped in, his muscles melting under the warmth of the stream. \n\nOnce rinsed off, he got out and toweled dry. \n\nHe came back into the bedroom, startled when he saw a person walking in.\n\n“It’s just me!” Bucky laughed. “I got Pietro down. Gonna keep him in the bathroom cause he's all wet.”\n\n“Is he okay?” Steve asked, rubbing his fingers over his face. "He smells gross."\n\n“That's wet cat for ya. Yeah, he’s fine. Just spooked. He was up in a tree shrieking. Dunno why he went up it.”\n\nSteve winced, shrugging. “Storm probably scared him.”\n\n“You okay, doll?” Bucky asked as he walked over to the bathroom, dropping Pietro in and closing the door. “Do you care if I take a shower before we get in bed?”\n\nSteve shrugged. “No that’s fine. Just leave the door cracked? I’m still a little unsettled.” \n\nBucky nodded. “Sure, anything for you.” Bucky took out his lighter and lit several candles around the room. The yellow glow gave the room a gentle aura, instantly calming Steve’s nerves. “I love you.”\n\n“I love you too.”\n\n [[POV Switch: Keep Door Wide Open]] [[POV Switch: Crack door just a tad]]\n

Bucky smiled. He reached for Steve, cupping his face. “You know I do.” \n\nSteve kissed his cheek. He felt colder than usual, but Bucky was freezing too. He longed to be back inside a house that wasn’t haunted. He’d settle for some rundown motel too. \n\n“We need to get to the basement.” Steve’s voice shattered Bucky’s lovely thoughts, dredging up dust and fear. \n\n“Are you shitting me? That’s the exact place we do NOT need to be!” Tony said, brows pinched. \n\n“I know it’s crazy. But I think I remember seeing a room down there? One that we couldn’t open. I put some boxes in front of it.” \n\n“That’s not weird or anything,” Bruce stated, tossing his hands up. “Okay, why the fuck not. Let’s go fight the zombie girl and the creepy shadow guy.” \n\nThey turned toward the house. Bucky saw a glimpse of a shining girl hiding behind a tree. He paused, tilting his head to the side. She stepped out, shaking her head no. He opened his mouth to speak, blinked—and she was gone.\nBucky sighed, looking up at the house. He didn’t like this… But he said he trusted Steve. That was his husband after all. It wasn’t possible not to trust him. \n\nThey filtered into the house, one behind the other. Hands gripped shoulders. It was best if they stayed like this to stick together. The house was creaking in ways Bucky had never heard before. It was moaning, or crying. He wasn’t sure. They crept toward the basement, Steve at the front.\n“We should burn this place,” Tony said. “Bet you two could get some insurance money for it.” He waggled his brows at Bucky.\n\nBucky rolled his eyes. He wasn’t opposed to the idea though… \nThey crept down the basement stairs. Bucky’s hairs stood on end. His whole body was whirring with fight or flight. Adrenaline pumped into him, mixing with blood and hammering in his ears. He felt sick. Clinging to the walls was hard when they were moist with some kind of thick goo. He slipped once, but Steve caught him. \n\n“You okay?” Steve smiled. He seemed so relaxed. But that’s just how Steve was. He looked at a problem and went on solving it. Step by step. Bucky loved that about him. Bucky nodded and together they went to the front of the group. \nBucky furrowed his brow, listening to the strange moaning behind the door. Steve pulled some boxes away, showing it off. It looked ancient—older than the house itself. \n\n“Is someone in there?” Bruce asked.\n\n“Dunno,” Steve said. “But I think this is where we’re supposed to go.” \n\nBucky blinked, listening to the sounds. They were melodic, pitchy and almost like someone was crying. He looked at Steve, furrowing his brow. “How do you know?”\n\nSteve shrugged. “It’s a spooky door in a haunted house, Buck. Why else would it be here?”\n\n“It could get us all killed.” Tony moved to sit on the washer. “I’m not doing it.” \n\n“Okay,” Steve said. “I’m not asking that we all go. Maybe just two?” \n\nBucky’s heart sank. He knew who’d be going with Steve. He shifted forward, listening to that melodic cry. It was familiar. He’d heard it somewhere before, but didn’t know it till now. Kind of like a store jingle. It was gone from the mind until he heard it again—then it was like he’d never stopped listening. \n\n“I wonder if that’s the girl.” Bucky traced his hand over the door. It was freezing. “Maybe we’ve gotta get her out?” \n\n“Maybe.” Steve put his hands on his hips. “All I know is—this scares the shit out of me.” \n\n“And yet we’re here, standing before the door?” Tony asked, cocking his head. “Wanna explain that logic?”\n\n“Gut feeling,” Steve said. \n\n“Do you think it’s locked though?” Bucky asked, caressing the keyhole. “What if we need a key.”\n\n“Break it down,” Bruce said. “With Steve’s arm, that shouldn’t be that hard.” \n\nBucky rolled his eyes. Though, he looked at his husband, big biceps, broad chest that he could practically fuck. Yeah, it shouldn’t be too hard. \n\n“Maybe it’s magically unlocked.” Tony jumped down, shrugging. “Have we tried that one yet?”\n\nBucky turned the knob. The crying instantly stopped. “It’s open.” \n\n“Oh Jesus,” Bruce said. “Open it before I change my mind.” \n\nBucky did, slipping inside the door. He and Steve got in before it slammed shut behind them. They turned, pounding and screaming. Terror gripped at Bucky’s heart like death grabbed at the elderly. It tugged, haunting him, teasing him until he would just give up. He fought, screaming for Bruce or Tony to open the door. He wouldn’t give up. He wouldn’t! \nHe was pulled back, flung across the room. \n\nWhen he opened his eyes, Steve was on an old chair in the middle, his body strapped in and his eyes gushing tears. His face was beaten, his lip bloody. He sobbed—that familiar sound. \n\n“Steve!” Bucky stood up, reaching for him.\n\n“Bucky, no!” \n\nBucky turned, looking to another Steve, the one he’d come in here with. But… “Wait…” Bucky looked back to the crying form on the chair. He was gasping, his lungs rattling inside his body. \n\n“That’s not me, Bucky.” \n\nBucky looked again, circling the sobbing man in the chair. He wanted to reach out—to touch. Screaming… He could hear screaming. “Bruce?! TONY!” Bucky ran for the door, banging again. Silence. “Fuck me.” \n\n“We’ve gotta get out of here,” Steve said.\n\n“But that’s you!” Bucky pointed accusingly at the man in the chair. He hadn’t looked up yet. He just kept sobbing. It tore at Bucky’s heart, squeezed his lungs and pushed at the backs of his eyes. He couldn’t witness his husband suffer like that. “Jesus, Steve! That’s you!” \n\n“No it’s not!” he said. “Baby, I’m right here.” \n\nBucky backed up to the wall. There were no windows in the room. He couldn’t really see much other than a faint red glow that came from the twisting wires around the other Steve’s body. The walls seemed bulbous with ancient brick and they glistened with moisture. \n\n“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” Bucky said, feeling hopeless. “I can’t leave you like that.”\n\n“That’s not me, Bucky.” Steve stepped forward, reaching out. \n\n“We have to help him.” Bucky ignored Steve’s hand and moved to cup the sitting Steve’s face. He looked up, choking out an unused rattled laugh.\n\n“B-Bucky!” \n\n“Steve?”\n\n“Get me out,” Steve pleaded. “Please get me out, he’s gonna kill me, please get me out!” He started shaking, pulling at the restraints. The red burned brighter and he cried out.\n\n“Steve!” \n\n“That’s not me, Bucky!” the standing Steve said again. “It’s a trap!” \n\n“I can’t leave,” Bucky said, tears filling his eyes. “I can’t—I can’t leave you.” \n\n“Baby, I swear to God, I’m right here.” \n\nBucky looked to the crying man in the chair. He wailed, dropping his head back, whispering, please don’t kill me, please don’t kill me. Bucky’s heart lurched. He stroked the man’s face, nodding. “I’ll get you out.” \n\n“Bucky!” Steve snapped. “Don’t do it!” \n\n“Steve! This is YOU! This isn’t some—this is YOU!” \n\n“It’s not. Me. Bucky.” Steve furrowed his brow, lifting his chin. “We have to go.” \n\n“You’re the one who led me in here,” Bucky said. “You’re the one who thought this is where we had to be?” He looked up, clenching his jaw. “How do I know you’re even the real Steve?” \n\nSteve blinked, looking around. “Because—I just—seriously, Bucky?” \n\n“YOU LED US DOWN HERE!” Bucky tried to pull at the restraints and the man in the chair screamed. “Oh shit!” \n\n“Bucky, that’s not me. Please let’s go. Why would I bring you in here only to want to leave again?”\n \n“I dunno,” Bucky answered lamely. “None of any of this makes sense.” He dropped to his knees before the crying Steve, caressing his knee. “But I won’t leave him.” \n\n“Bucky,” Steve pleaded. “Trust me. I made a mistake! I thought this is where we needed to go!” \n\nBucky swallowed. Trust him? He didn’t even know who that man was. \n\n“What’s my birthday?” \n\n“March 10th. Bucky c’mon!” \n\n“What did I tell you when we got married?”\n\nSteve blinked. “What?”\n\n“What did I tell you the day we got married? Right after I slipped the ring onto your finger.”\n\nSteve faltered, blinking. “I—you said—oh fuck.” \n\n“You said—” the sitting Steve said, voice agonized with disuse and screaming. “We better get a damn dog.” \n\nBucky stood up, shaking his head at the standing Steve. “Why’d you lead me here?”\n\n“Bucky!” He tossed his hands up. “Seriously? I didn’t fucking know! I had an idea! I didn’t fucking know!” \n\n“You’re not my Steve.” \n\n“Yes I am!” \n\nBucky pulled at the restraints on the other Steve, wincing when the man cried out. It caused so much pain but Bucky could see the rope getting looser and looser. \n\n“Bucky PLEASE!” the standing Steve shouted, his voice giving out. “Trust me.” \n\nBucky licked his lips, looking from the [[crying Steve]] to the [[one standing]]. Which did he believe more? \n

Steve pursed his lips, heading in the opposite direction of the living room, toward the bonus room. He stepped into the dark room, hearing the soft pitter-patter of rain against the glass above. He stood there for a moment in the dark, feeling something deeply, uniquely unsetting within his chest. It was like a bullet was slowly spinning, burning a hole right into his sternum. He turned around, facing the inside of the house, still quietly standing there, getting the same sensation. He could barely hear his friends murmured speaking now. \n\nHe took a step forward, realizing that he was being foolish. No one was in the house. The bowl had fallen. There was a logical reason for it. He just didn’t know it. As he walked, he kicked something furry. Instantly, he jumped back and yelped. \n\nPietro darted by him, hissing as he went, going into the furthest corner of the glass room and lying down against it. He growled deep within his throat. “Jesus, Pietro! What’re you doing in here, little guy?”\n\nSteve moved toward the cat, but his growling only got louder. Steve recoiled. This was extremely unusual for Pietro. Steve blinked a few times, staring at the outline of the cat before deciding he’d join his friends in the living room.\n\nAs he walked back into the hallway, he swore he saw a girl run into the parlor. Furrowing his brow, he walked briskly toward the room offset of the foyer. He looked in, flicking on the light switch. No one was there. He was about to turn around when he saw the window had murky, runny, black finger prints on it, as if someone had climbed out…or in. He checked the window. It was locked. Was this the person that smashed Bucky’s bowl? \n\n“Steve?”\n\nSteve nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around, seeing Thor as he leaned against the archway. \n\n“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Thor stated. “Are you okay?”\n\nSteve backed up, pressing his back against the wall. “I’m fine.” Thor had confessed his attraction to Steve a couple months back. Steve was pretty sure the feelings weren’t gone just yet from the way Thor was looking at him right now. “I just thought I saw someone…”\n\nThor looked to the fingerprints on the windowsill. “I’d say that looks like someone’s been in here.”\n\n“We had the doors open all day. Some kid probably snuck in. The handprints are tiny. They’re probably long gone by now.” Steve didn’t know if he was trying to convince himself or Thor more. Someone had smashed Bucky’s bowl. Someone had muddied up his window… Someone had been in the house. \n\nThor took another step into the room, running his teeth over his bottom lip. “You enjoying the married life?”\n\nSteve pursed his lips; nodding curtly. “Yep.”\n\nThor cracked a small, half-smile. “Bucky makes you happy?”\n\n“Always has,” Steve said defensively. He wanted to brush by Thor and leave, but for all his girth, Thor was bigger. \n\n“Steve…” Thor sighed, dancing his fingers over the light green loveseat. “You never gave me a chance.”\n\n“I love Bucky, Thor,” Steve whispered. His eyes darted to the archway, like Bucky would be there any second. “Can we please not talk about this now?”\n\n“When are we ever going to talk about it?” \n\n“Thor,” Steve's voice was firm. “I am married! Married!” He annunciated the word like it was the most important information in the history of humankind. “Happily.”\n\nA loud crack of thunder cut the sound waves, shaking the house as it rolled above in the sky. \n\nSteve tried to use the distraction as a way to get out of this conversation. He attempted to walk by Thor, but Thor grabbed one of his wrists. “Steve, just hear me out.”\n\n“I’m married!” Steve tried to yank his wrist out of Thor’s grasp, but the other man was stronger. “Please let go.”\n\n“One kiss, and then I’ll let go.”\n\nSteve yanked his hand again. “Thor-- please.”\n\n“It’s one kiss. You can decide if you really feel nothing for me then.”\n\nSteve’s eyes were pleading. He looked to the soft glow of the TV as it bounced off the taupe paint under the stairway that led into the dining room. He could [[kiss Thor]] or he could really [[start making a scene]].\n

“I’m gonna get you out, baby.” Bucky worked at the restraints, wincing when Steve gasped. He bit his lip so hard he tasted blood when he finally broke one of the restraints. \n\n“FUCK! STOP IT HURTS!” Steve screamed.\n\nBucky moved back, watching his husband—his real husband—panting heavily. His body was shrugged over, his chest rising and falling.\n\nThe other Steve was still standing in the corner of the room, watching. Bucky was sure he was an apparition, or some kind of form the ghost took. But he looked so real—had felt real. \n“What did you do to him?” Bucky asked through a wavering voice.\n\nSteve shook his head, staring. “I didn’t do anything, Bucky. That’s not me.” \n\nBucky looked back to the Steve in the chair. Tears were streaming from his eyes and the restraints had burned into his skin. “I’m gonna get you out, baby. I’m here.” \n\nBucky closed his eyes, trying to knock the noise out. His head was swimming from all the adrenaline and his injuries. He’d been slammed into the wall one too many times tonight. \n“Bucky, please,” Steve said. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes round. “That’s not me.” \n\nBucky ignored him. He worked at the restraints, whimpering when he heard the sitting Steve cry out in pain. The wounds were open and bleeding when he peeled away the restraints. \n“What did they do to you?” Bucky threw one of the restraints away, watching the red fizzle out. \n\n“BUCKY STOP! DON’T DO THIS!” \n\nBucky stood up, marching right up to the other Steve, he shoved the man by the throat, glaring. “Give up your act and either fight me or get out of my way. You led me here. This fuck-up is all on you.” \n\n“That’s not me, Bucky!” Steve shouted, pointing at the sitting man. “I swear to God, baby, that’s not me.” \n\n“What’s my favorite food?”\n\n“Hot dogs!” His eyes were pleading, shimmering with unshed tears. Bucky looked over at the slumped form in the chair. Which one? Which one?!\n\n“What’s your favorite sex toy?”\n\n“Seriously? That’s your question?”\n\nBucky shook his head, walking way. “Get outta here. I know you ain’t him.” \n\n“Bucky, that’s not me. I swear. I swear that’s not me.” \n\nBucky ignored the imposter, moving back to Steve. The longer Steve was in the chair, the paler he got. Bucky worked at the knots, slipping them free and letting the rope fall to the floor. The room got darker and darker each time, but he didn’t care. Steve needed him. \n\nBut the ghost wasn’t hurting Steve. He wasn’t attacking and he wasn’t giving up the act. It made Bucky pause, his hands hovering over the last knot. “Baby?”\nSteve opened his eyes lazily. \n\n“You’re you, right?”\n\nThe man nodded his head, but was too weak to bring it back up again.\n\n“Shit.” Bucky undid the last knot.\n \nThe room went into total darkness, and that’s when Bucky felt so cold he thought death was sucking him away. \n\nHe dropped onto the cold, damp floor, his hand holding Steve’s.\n\nThe light fizzled all the way out, [[a dark shadow hovering above them]].\n

“I saw a girl inside. Over in the sunroom. Small, looked like she could fit that dress. I think she’s in the house.”\n\n“This dress is old, Steve,” Natasha argued lightly, holding the wet thing in her hand. “And what about the chains?”\n\n“Someone’s into BDSM,” Tony commented.\n\n“Seriously, Tony! Enough!” Bruce groaned. “Jesus, what kind of sick fuck are you?”\n\n“Hey! I’m just trying to make the situation less serious! You’re all freaking out about some kid in the house. She’s naked and probably freaked out. Let’s just go look for her.”\n\n“Why would she have chained her dress up?” Bucky asked, his fingers touching the rusted metal. “These are old chains. Somethin’s not right.”\n\nSteve sighed heavily. Something was up, but this was a new house and the sun was setting. Perhaps the girl was carrying the chains for whatever reason and fell into the pond. Steve was just happy she’d made it out alive. She could have died in there! Still, the situation was strange and something in the way Bucky was fidgeting made Steve think there was something else to the story. \n\n“Let’s all split up,” Steve suggested. “Bucky and I’ll look around down here. Nat and Clint can take the basement and Sam, Tony and Bruce’ll go upstairs. Make sure you poke your head into the attic too. Just in case.”\n\n“Sure, whatever. Wild goosechase for the naked girl,” Tony snorted. “I hope her mother’s home.”\n\nBucky crossed his arms, his face sporting a displeased pout.\n \n“Baby,” Steve said, grabbing Bucky’s attention. “You okay?”\n\n“I dunno,” Bucky answered, swallowing hard. “Just feels weird to me that a little girl was wearing a dress and chains.” \n\nNatasha wrapped her arms around Bucky’s back, soothing him. “We’ll find her. Maybe the chains were already in there.”\n\n“It was all twisted. It looked like an arm at first. That’s why I jumped in.” \n\nClint sighed through his nose, scratching the back of his head. “Alright, let’s check this house out. Don’t wanna have to send this kid home in the dark.”\n\nThe group split up, Bucky and Steve taking the main floor. They wandered through the rooms, checking cabinets, closets, and the door to the basement despite the fact that Natasha and Clint had wandered down there. They moved over to the parlor when Bucky finally turned to Steve with round eyes and softly shook his head. \n\n“I can’t do this anymore,” Bucky blurted.\n\nSteve froze, feeling his heart slow in his chest. He slowly moved to straighten up, waiting for Bucky saying he didn’t love Steve or this marriage was a mistake. \n\n“Steve I heard her,” Bucky began. “I heard gurgling and that’s why I jumped into the pond. I pulled that dress out and then you said you saw a girl…” He dropped his hands to his side, rolling his head back. “I don’t know, somethin’– somethin’ ain’t right, doll.” \n\nSteve pushed out a puff of air, no longer holding it in. Thank God Bucky wasn’t talking about a divorce. “We’ll find her. She’s just a little girl. I saw her tracks in the sun room. So, we know she’s around somewhere.”\n\nAt that moment, something smacked against the window. Both men jumped, looking over to see a splatter of mud against the widow. “Looks like she’s out now,” Steve commented. \n\n“Should we go outside?” Bucky asked. \n\nSteve sighed, moving to run his fingers up and down Bucky’s arms, pressing a slow, gentle kiss to his lips. “Do you wanna make sure she’s safe?”\n\n“Please?” Bucky responded, looking up with round, nervous eyes. “I just wanna make sure she’s safe.”\n\n“Okay. We’ll go outside.”\n\n“Oh shit!” Bucky gasped. “We’ve left Pietro in his crate this entire time.” He bent down, opening the cat’s crate and letting it out. “Sorry, buddy. I didn’t mean to forget cha!”\n\nThe cat skittered upstairs, mewling in annoyance.\n\n“Such a jerk,” Steve commented as he clicked his tongue. “I hope he likes kids.”\n\nBucky turned to Steve with a goofy smile on his face. “Kids?”\n\nSteve shrugged as he leaned against the front door. “I mean, don’t you want ‘em?”\n\nBucky pressed himself against Steve, kissing his cheek down to his jaw. “I want a lot of things with you,” he whispered.\n\nSteve rolled his hips into Bucky, purring in content. “Mmm, do you?”\n\nBucky nipped at Steve’s ear before pulling away. “We should go check on that girl.” \n\nSteve sighed, hitting his head back against the door. “Fine, fine. Can we break in our bed later?”\n\nBucky snorted, pushing Steve playfully as they walked outside. “We’ve got a tub full of sex toys. Do you honestly think I’m going to pass up the chance to use them on you?”\n\nSteve giggled softly before turning back around to flip the porchlight on. \n\nOnce outside, they looked around. The sky was almost dark now and the only things around were trees, a few random boxes that had really nothing in them and cars. “Check under the cars, baby?” Steve suggested. \n\nBucky looked under the cars while Steve walked around them, peeking in boxes and scanning the trees. No one seemed to be out here. \n“Nothing,” Bucky commented. \n\n“Yeah. Maybe she ran home,” Steve affirmed. “It’s getting late for kids to be out right?”\n\nBucky shrugged. “As if you n’ I ever listened to curfews.” He grabbed Steve’s arm, pushing him against Natasha’s car. “God, I could take you right here, right now.” \n\nSteve’s eyebrows raised. He let out the softest gasp, tilting his head so Bucky could kiss down his throat roughly. “Ugh, fuck that’d be nice.” \n\n“Wanna?” Bucky asked, his hands already moving to undo Steve’s pants. “Quick n’ dirty. Be like high school again at your football games.” \n\nSteve looked back at the house. Everyone else was still searching. While he was pretty sure the girl went home they did have time for a [[quick one]]. Or they could just [[go back inside]]. \n

Bucky shoved a heel into her body, watching her explode into drops of water around him. He was soaking wet, shivering and bleeding but that didn't stop him from running as fast as he could. He ran from the bathroom, from his room and down the hall.\n\nGhost were real. Ghosts were very real and they were here... \n\nIn the hall someone kept whispering in his ear, "He's gonna kill you, he's gonna kill you, he's gonna kill you!"\n\nHe tumbled down the last few steps, scampering up and running into the living room, sopping wet and shivering.\n\n"Bucky!" Steve exclaimed. "Baby, are you okay?! Why're you still wet?!"\n\nBucky looked down at himself. "She's here, Steve, Steve that girl, she's not a girl. I saw her! She's a fuckin' ghost! I swear to fuckin' God, baby she's a fuckin' ghost!" He collapsed into Steve's arms, sobbing into his husband's shoulder. "She's real. Oh my God, she's real. She...she said someone's gonna kill me!"\n\n"What?" Natasha gasped. "What the fuck kind of sick joke is this, Bucky?!"\n\n"IT'S NOT A JOKE!" Bucky screamed, his body quaking in fear. "I FUCKIN' SAW HER! She tried to lock me in the fuckin' bathroom!"\n\nSomething creaked above them, following by a loud shattering. \n\nClint grabbed Natasha, wrapping his arms around her as she gasped breathlessly into the air. \n\n"Time to call the cops?" Clint asked. \n\n"We need to go," Bucky demanded. "We need to fuckin' go."\n\n"GHOSTS AREN'T REAL!" shouted Tony. "I'll prove that she's just some girl playing tricks on us!"\n\n"Fuck you, Stark!" Bucky wailed. "I iknow what I saw!" \n\n"Steve," Tony began. "Don't do this. Ghosts aren't real. Bucky's just scared."\n\n"SHE BASHED MY HEAD INTO THE WALL, TONY!" Bucky pointed to his bleeding head. Steve caressed Bucky's face, cringing.\n\n"Or you slipped and your mind's fucking with you!" Tony countered. "There is no science to support ghosts!"\n\n"I said there're theories!" Bruce stood up, huffing. "Look, Bucky may have fallen or someone's in the house. Either way, we can't just ignore this anymore."\n\nSteve hovered there, staring at Bucky and then looking back to Tony and Bruce. "We should...we should protect ourselves. We can't leave, baby," Steve said, turning to Bucky. "We have to call the police."\n\n"Why the FUCK can't we leave," Bucky growled. "Doll baby, please! Please don't do this to me!" He was tugging at Steve's arm, trying desperately to convince Steve to see fucking reason. "Please, please, please, baby, please. Look at my fucking face!"\n\nSteve whined, gingerly touching Bucky's gash on his head. "I see it baby. But we have to call the police and get them to look at the house." Looking around, Steve continued, "We should protect ourselves. We can bunker down with bats in the parlor."\n\n"Bats against a ghost, Steve?" Clint quipped. "Seriously?"\n\n"We could get salt?" Natasha offered. "Always works on Supernatural." Her voice was calm, yet Bucky could see how badly her fingers were trembling.\n\n"Fine," Steve said. "Salt and bats. I'm not takin' any chances in case someone's just fucking with us."\n\n"Oh fine, whatever. If you all wanna play ghosthunters be my guest. I'll be here napping." He sprawled out on the couch, glaring. "We saw a little girl. That doesn't mean she's dead. We found out how that girl was killed in the pond and now we're all shaken up." \n\n"Tony, c'mon." Steve hugged Bucky closer. "We should believe what Bucky saw."\n\nTony huffed, his nostrils flaring. "Whatever."\n\n"What about the noise upstairs?" Natasha asked. "Should we? Uh, go see?"\n\n"I'll call the police," Bruce said. He pulled out his phone, punching in the numbers. \n\nBucky wanted to scream at them as they all devised a plan. He knew what he saw. She was there, she said someone was going to kill him. He looked up at Steve, mesmerized by his jawline and how stern his gaze was. His mouth was moving, but Bucky wasn't listening. Did she mean Steve? Would Steve kill Bucky? The thought made his legs give out. \n\n"Woah, hey!" Steve scooped him into his arms and then nestled him into the Lazyboy chair. "Bruce? Can we bandage him up after you're done?"\n\nBruce nodded, holding up a finger. He continued talking into the phone and giving their address.\n\n"Steve?" Bucky asked quietly. \n\n"Yeah?"\n\n"You'd never hurt me, right?"\n\nThere was a long pause. Steve stared, completely flabbergasted. Bucky felt his heart pang. The look of agony that darkened Steve's face was enough to make him want to eat his words. That ghost wanted to get into Bucky's head, and it was working. There'd be no way Steve would ever hurt Bucky. \n\n"I'd rather die," Steve answered. \n\nBucky nodded, cringing. He felt utterly guilty for the question. \n\n"Cops are gonna come," Bruce said. "Let's get that head bandaged up, huh?" He kneeled in front of Bucky, smiling softly. Bucky nodded. He knew what he saw. There was a ghost in the house. Maybe as long as they all stayed together she wouldn't come after him again. \n\n"Should someone go upstairs?" Clint asked. "If she's just a freaky girl, I'd rather we get her now."\n\n"The cops should handle that," Steve said. "We don't really like it when people take matters into their own hands."\n\n"Oh c'mon, Steve! You're a cop!" Clint protested. "We can do this. We all heard something break, right?" He looked around the room. Everyone but Tony seemed startled. "Someone should go upstairs."\n\nThey could [[Send Clint and Steve]] or [[Send Nat and Clint]]. Bucky really didn't care which. He just wanted out of this fucking house.

“Honestly, I’d rather just make sure no one’s hangin’ around,” Bucky said. “We’ve had enough excitement, yeah?”\n\nSteve nodded. He sighed, adjusting himself in his sweats. They should probably grab a baseball bat or something. He opened up the closet, yanking out Bucky’s old bat. “I’m paranoid.”\n“Me too,” Bucky said.\n\nThey walked into the dark hall, listening to the rain outside. Bucky peeked into the bathroom and flicked the light switch. Nothing. \n\nSteve went over to the window at the end of the hall, looking out into the night. The rain fell in sheets carried by the wind. He looked to the pond, more disturbed than he should’ve been.\n \n“We should check the other hallway.” Bucky gently grabbed Steve’s forearm. “I dunno who thought two separate halls was a good idea.”\n\n“Maybe we can open up the space when we start thinkin’ about kids?” Steve suggested. \n\nBucky smiled, nodding. “You still want those? With me?”\n\nSteve rolled his eyes. “I want every benefit of having a husband. Tax breaks, healthcare.” Bucky punched him lightly. “Hey!”\n\nThey went to the other hallway. Clint and Nat were using the guestroom tonight but not all the rooms were finished up. They poked their heads into the rooms before both visibly relaxing when they found nothing. \n\n“It’s probably just the storm freaking us out,” Bucky said. “Old house, bad storm. Kinda like a horror movie, right?”\n\nSteve frowned. “Right.”\n\n“Hey lovebirds!” Clint shouted from downstairs. “Ya gotta hear about this!”\n\n[[go back down]] \n

Bucky bolted, chasing the dark shadow. It was up on the balcony, like a fucking Sunday stroll. Bucky growled, ignoring Tony’s protests behind him. He chased the fucker upstairs. “Where are you?!” It was dark. The only light was muted from the window at the end of the hall, but it was suffocating, flickering like a dying candle. \n\nHe banged on all the doors, opening them and screaming, “Where the fuck are you, jackass! I'm sick of these fucking games! I’ll fuckin’ destroy you!” \n\nSomething grabbed him by the back of the head, slamming his face into the wall. The rooms moaned, like the house was twisting to watch. He grabbed his nose, pulling back to see a black shimmer of blood. Gasping, he stumbled back. “That all you got?! HUH? THAT ALL YOU GOT?!” \n\nThe figure was at the end of the hall, cocking its head.\n \n“Come and kill me you jackass.” Bucky charged. He knew full well he was powerless. A ghost against a living person? The ghost could touch him, but he couldn’t touch it. Anger, anguish and the crushing realization that life meant absolutely nothing flooded into him, overloading his mind and body. At least all his friends were safe. Sam included.\n\nHe lifted his hand to swing when someone pulled him back, large hands, broad chest. The person pulled him into the bedroom, screaming to get away. \n\nBucky twisted, shouting, “Get off me! I had a chance to fight this!” \n\n“Bucky! BUCKY!” Steve yelled. “Look at me, baby!”\n\nBucky suddenly realized he couldn’t. The room was spinning too much. “St-Steve?” \n\n“Yeah,” Steve said, his voice calmer. “Baby it was gonna kill you.” \n\n“How do you know? When did you? Get?” Bucky shook his head. He needed to lie down. \n\n“I hung up the phone when you ran. Sam's good, pissed he's got flowers he can't give us but he's good. You freaked me out!” \n\n“That thing is out there, Steve,” Bucky growled low in his throat. “It’s out there and we can’t just sit here! No one's gonna be able to save us but us. Flooded roads reminded me that.” \n\n"You're right,” Steve said. “But we can’t just fly at it with nothing but fists!” \n\n“Then what the fuck do we do? I can't sit here like a fucking duck."\n\n“I know,” Steve said, softer. He sat on the bed, sighing. “Salt? Crucifixes? I dunno. We gotta do something.” \n\n“Does that shit even work?” \n\nSteve shrugged. “We could try? I’d rather,” Steve coughed, “I’d rather go down fighting than hiding.” \n\nBucky nodded. “Me too.” \n\nSteve sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I love you, you know?”\n\nBucky nodded. “Yeah. I love you too.” \n\n“I left everyone downstairs.” Steve winced. “It got—the house started screaming and they didn’t keep running with me.” \n\n“The house was screaming?”\n\nFootsteps. Long, even, loud—footsteps. Bucky inhaled a shaky breath. “He’s coming.” \n\nSteve nodded. “What do we do?”\n\nBucky wiped a tear. “I don’t know, Steve.”\n\n“Do you trust me?” Steve smiled, offering a hand.\n\n“What?” Bucky blinked. \n\nShe said not to trust him. But Steve? Steve was Bucky’s husband. He trusted him on everything. Did she mean Steve? Bucky’s beautiful, earnest, kind Steve? Or the shadow-man?\n“I’ve got a plan, but it’s gonna be scary.” \n\nBucky sucked in a deep breath. Did he trust him? [[Absolutely]] or [[unsure]]?\n

Bucky walked into the foyer, his hands trembling as he punched in 911. He'd been outside, howling and moaning Steve's name while his friend was dying. He'd been tossing his head back, humming in pleasure as his friend was gasping for air and freezing to death. Freezing to death in the most suspicious of ways, because there was absolutely no reason for him to be dead! He'd been in the basement. It was just the basement. Bucky had been down there, Steve had been down there and nearly everyone else at one point during the move. What made it different when Bruce went down?\n\nAnd that girl? How'd she make it out of the basement without freezing if Bruce couldn't? What made her so special? Bucky didn't like drawing conclusions. He was a forensic pathologist and he knew every death had a reason but this made no sense! And everything had been so weird that night with jawbones and dolls... Bucky didn't want to start swinging the "ghost" word around but right now, he felt like someone was staring into his spine. He fidgeted, clenching his shoulder blades together and rolling his neck.\n\n"911, what's your emergency?" a female's voice came over the phone.\n\n"Uh..." Bucky's mouth went dry. "Our friend's dead. He...we don't know how. He was cold and now he's dead."\n\n"Where are you, sir?"\n\n"Home. Uh, 1201 Cherryknoll, uh S-Syracause. I don't-- I don't know how he died." Tears blurred Bucky's vision. He turned around, looking at the group. Tony was still clutching to Bruce's body. Clint was finally crying and Steve was still in his stupor. Bucky's throat swelled shut. Bruce was dead. Bruce was dead and he'd been outside fucking around with Steve.\n\nBruce was dead...\n\n"I'm sending someone to you now. Please stay on the phone."\n\n"Y-yeah," Bucky whispered. He was about to turn back toward the door when he caught a faint image of black near the upstairs railing, followed by thumping away down the black hall. \n\nBucky breathed out, feeling cold fingers press to his heart. Someone was in this house and he wasn't sure if they were human...\n\nSwallowing, Bucky held the phone to his ear when he felt compelled to go up the stairs. He climbed them silently, using one hand on the railing. Bucky saw a girl, standing before the window. She walked slowly into Bucky and Steve's room. \n\nBucky didn't know why he kept walking. He should've gone to Steve and told him immediatly. He should've been screaming and hollering for someone to know about the girl, but his feet kept moving. He only heard the sounds of the woman's voice on the line trying to talk to him and the creaking of the floorboards beneath him. "I don't know how he died," Bucky said, walking down the hall, following the girl. "He was cold."\n\nBucky opened the door and heard the phone crackle before clicking off. Bucky stepped into the room, flicking on the light. He was alone. He walked around the room, leaning over to look under the bed and went to the closet to peak in. He even ventured into the bathroom. Sighing, he moved to sit on the bed but squeaked when his ass went wet. He looked down to see the bed was soaked with water. Standing, he twirled around to look at the soaked-through bed. "What the fuck?"\n\nSomeone tapped him on the shoulder. Yelping, he turned around to see no one. \n\n"Here," someone whispered right next to his ear. \n\n"JESUS!" Bucky shouted, spinning around. "What the fuck do you want?!" \n\nHe could [[run]] or he could [[confront this]].

"Is this another one of your damn crazy ideas?" Bucky asked. He didn't want to keep clinging to the girl's words.\n\n"Could be, why?" Steve pursed his lips, crossing his arms.\n\n"Fuck, Steve. I don't know..."\n\n"You're shitting me." Steve stared with a flat expression, shoulders dropping. \n\n"Well, I trust Steve, so let's go!" Tony said, marching over to grab Steve's arm.\n\nBucky cringed. His tongue felt too hot in his mouth. Not trusting Steve was like living with his skin turned inside out. It just wasn't right. \n \n“We need to get to the basement.” Steve’s voice shattered Bucky’s anguished thoughts, dredging up dust and fear. \n\n“Are you shitting me? That’s the exact place we do NOT need to be!” Tony said, brows pinched. "I don't trust you anymore!"\n\n“I know it’s crazy. But I think I remember seeing a room down there? One that we couldn’t open. I put some boxes in front of it.” \n\n“That’s not weird or anything,” Bruce stated, tossing his hands up. “Okay, why the fuck not. Let’s go fight the zombie girl and the creepy shadow guy.” \n\nThey turned toward the house. Bucky saw a glimpse of a shining girl hiding behind a tree. He paused, tilting his head to the side. She stepped out, shaking her head no. He opened his mouth to speak, blinked—and she was gone. Bucky sighed, looking up at the house. He didn’t like this… He could stop them, maybe. But would Steve forgive him so quickly for not trusting him? Steve was stubborn. That answer was staring Bucky down with a resounding no.\n\nThey filtered into the house, one behind the other. Hands gripped shoulders. It was best if they stayed like this to stick together. The house was creaking in ways Bucky had never heard before. It was moaning, or crying. He wasn’t sure. They crept toward the basement, Steve at the front.\n\n“We should burn this place,” Tony said. “Bet you two could get some insurance money for it.” He waggled his brows at Bucky.\n\nBucky rolled his eyes. He wasn’t opposed to the idea though… \n\nThey crept down the basement stairs. Bucky’s hairs stood on end. His whole body was whirring with fight or flight. Adrenaline pumped into him, mixing with blood and hammering in his ears. He felt sick. Clinging to the walls was hard when they were moist with some kind of thick goo. He slipped once, but Steve caught him. \n\n“You okay?” Steve was stiff, his face pained. Bucky nodded and together they went to the front of the group. \n\nBucky furrowed his brow, listening to the strange moaning behind the door. He hoped Nat and Clint were okay. Steve pulled some boxes away, showing it off. It looked ancient—older than the house itself. \n\n“Is someone in there?” Bruce asked.\n\n“Dunno,” Steve said. “But I think this is where we’re supposed to go.” \n\nBucky blinked, listening to the sounds. They were melodic, pitchy and almost like someone was crying. He looked at Steve, furrowing his brow. “How do you know?”\n\nSteve shrugged. “It’s a spooky door in a haunted house, Buck. Why else would it be here?”\n\n“It could get us all killed.” Tony moved to sit on the washer. “I’m not doing it.” \n\n“Okay,” Steve said. “I’m not asking that we all go. Maybe just two?” \n\nBucky’s heart sank. He knew who’d be going with Steve. He shifted forward, listening to that melodic cry. It was familiar. He’d heard it somewhere before, but didn’t know it till now. Kind of like a store jingle. It was gone from the mind until he heard it again—then it was like he’d never stopped listening. \n\n“I wonder if that’s the girl.” Bucky traced his hand over the door. It was freezing. “Maybe we’ve gotta get her out?” \n\n“Maybe.” Steve put his hands on his hips. “All I know is—this scares the shit out of me.” \n\n“And yet we’re here, standing before the door?” Tony asked, cocking his head. “Wanna explain that logic?”\n\n“Gut feeling,” Steve said. \n\n“Do you think it’s locked though?” Bucky asked, caressing the keyhole. “What if we need a key.”\n\n“Break it down,” Bruce said. “With Steve’s arm, that shouldn’t be that hard.” \n\nBucky rolled his eyes. Though, he looked at his husband, big biceps, broad chest that he could practically fuck. Yeah, it shouldn’t be too hard. \n\n“Maybe it’s magically unlocked.” Tony jumped down, shrugging. “Have we tried that one yet?”\n\nBucky turned the knob. The crying instantly stopped. “It’s open.” \n\n“Oh Jesus,” Bruce said. “Open it before I change my mind.” \n\nBucky did, slipping inside the door. He and Steve got in before it slammed shut behind them. They turned, pounding and screaming. Terror gripped at Bucky’s heart like death grabbed at the elderly. It tugged, haunting him, teasing him until he would just give up. He fought, screaming for Bruce or Tony to open the door. He wouldn’t give up. He wouldn’t! \nHe was pulled back, flung across the room. \n\nWhen he opened his eyes, Steve was on an old chair in the middle, his body strapped in and his eyes gushing tears. His face was beaten, his lip bloody. He sobbed—that familiar sound. \n\n“Steve!” Bucky stood up, reaching for him.\n\n“Bucky, no!” \n\nBucky turned, looking to another Steve, the one he’d come in here with. But… “Wait…” Bucky looked back to the crying form on the chair. He was gasping, his lungs rattling inside his body. \n\n“That’s not me, Bucky.” \n\nBucky looked again, circling the sobbing man in the chair. He wanted to reach out—to touch. Screaming… He could hear screaming. “Bruce?! TONY!” Bucky ran for the door, banging again. Silence. “Fuck me.” \n\n“We’ve gotta get out of here,” Steve said. He started feeling around the walls.\n\n“But that’s you!” Bucky pointed accusingly at the man in the chair. He hadn’t looked up yet. He just kept sobbing. It tore at Bucky’s heart, squeezed his lungs and pushed at the backs of his eyes. He couldn’t witness his husband suffer like that. “Jesus, Steve! That’s you!” \n\n“No it’s not!” he said. "I’m right here.” \n\nBucky backed up to the wall. There were no windows in the room. He couldn’t really see much other than a faint red glow that came from the twisting wires around the other Steve’s body. The walls seemed bulbous with ancient brick and they glistened with moisture. \n\n“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” Bucky said, feeling hopeless. “I can’t leave you like that.”\n\n“That’s not me, Bucky.” Steve stepped forward, reaching out. "Maybe if you'd put a little more TRUST in me, you'd know that!" \n\n“I'm just, Jesus. I'm sorry!” Bucky ignored Steve’s hand and moved to cup the sitting Steve’s face. He looked up, choking out an unused rattled laugh. What if this really was the right Steve and the other one was trying to mess with his head?"\n\n“B-Bucky!” \n\n“Steve?”\n\n“Get me out,” Steve pleaded. “Please get me out, he’s gonna kill me, please get me out!” He started shaking, pulling at the restraints. The red burned brighter and he cried out.\n\n“Steve!” It made sense, why the other was so bitter about Bucky not going along with his plans. This was his Steve, this poor, crying man in the chair!\n\n“That’s not me, Bucky!” the standing Steve said again. “It’s a trap!” \n\n“I don't know” Bucky said, tears filling his eyes. “I can’t—I can’t know.” \n\n“Baby, I swear to God, I’m right here.” \n\nBucky looked to the crying man in the chair. He wailed, dropping his head back, whispering, please don’t kill me, please don’t kill me. Bucky’s heart lurched. He stroked the man’s face, nodding. “I’ll get you out.” \n\n“Bucky!” Steve snapped. “Don’t do it!” \n\n“What if you're not even you! What if you're the imposter!?” \n\n“It’s not. Me. Bucky.” Steve furrowed his brow, lifting his chin. “Jesus Christ, trust me!” \n\n“You’re the one who led me in here,” Bucky said. “You’re the one who thought this is where we had to be?” He looked up, clenching his jaw. “How do I know you’re the real Steve?” \n\nSteve blinked, looking around. “Because—I just—seriously, Bucky?” \n\n“YOU LED US DOWN HERE!” Bucky tried to pull at the restraints and the man in the chair screamed. “Oh shit!” \n\n“Bucky, that’s not me. Why would I bring you in here only to want to leave again?”\n \n“I dunno,” Bucky answered lamely. “None of any of this makes sense.” He dropped to his knees before the crying Steve, caressing his knee. “But I won’t leave him.” \n\n“Bucky,” Steve pleaded. “Trust me. I made a mistake! I thought this is where we needed to go!” \n\nBucky swallowed. Trust him? He didn’t even know who that man was. \n\n“What’s my birthday?” \n\n“March 10th. Bucky c’mon!” \n\n“What did I tell you when we got married?”\n\nSteve blinked. “What?”\n\n“What did I tell you the day we got married? Right after I slipped the ring onto your finger.”\n\nSteve faltered, blinking. “I—you said—oh fuck.” \n\n“You said—” the sitting Steve said, voice agonized with disuse and screaming. “We better get a damn dog.” \n\nBucky stood up, shaking his head at the standing Steve. “Why’d you lead me here?”\n\n“Bucky!” He tossed his hands up. “Seriously? I didn’t fucking know! I had an idea! I didn’t fucking know!” \n\n“You’re not my Steve.” \n\n“Yes I am!” \n\nBucky pulled at the restraints on the other Steve, wincing when the man cried out. It caused so much pain but Bucky could see the rope getting looser and looser. \n\n“Bucky PLEASE!” the standing Steve shouted, his voice giving out. “Trust me.” \n\nBucky licked his lips, looking from [[the crying Steve]] to [[the one standing]]. Which did he believe more? \n

Rhodey put a blanket over Bruce’s body. They lingered in the family room, all looking at each other awkwardly, dancing around each other but afraid to mention the elephant in the room. They still had the girl to worry about, or at least, that’s what Bucky claimed. \n\nSteve wasn’t so sure now. They’d found a dead body. Bruce had died and Bucky maybe just fell? It’d been a scary night for them all, and all Steve wanted to do now was just go to sleep. \nThe cops arrived about fifteen minutes later. Fifteen, uninterrupted and non-spooky minutes later. Steve didn’t want to doubt Bucky’s experience or what he saw, but things were starting to look peculiar. Bucky was injured, there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt there, but nothing else had happened. The day had been creepy, weird things happened, but it was calm now. Bruce was dead… \n\nThey’d found a body. \n\n“Steve, your turn to talk to the cops.” Natasha pointed over at the police. \n\nSteve nodded as he walked over to them, grimacing when he looked at Bucky, babbling and wide-eyed as he spoke to a paramedic. The ambulance always came when there was a dead body… \n“Evening,” the officer said. “I’m Detective Knight and this is my partner Scarfe.”\n\n“I’m Steve, I’m with NYPD.” He went for his badge and then foolishly remembered it was upstairs. “Uh, I don’t think that really matters right now though.”\n\n“You went for your badge didn’t you?” Scarfe asked, smirking.\n\nSteve nodded. “Habit.”\n\nKnight nodded. She was pretty, a woman who looked like a woman with stories on her face. Steve relaxed, leaning back. \n\n“So the run down is, we’ve been gettin’ spooked all night by some girl or something. Someone was in the house we thought.”\n\n“And why’d you think that?” Knight asked, tilting her head. \n\n“Because someone smashed one of Bucky’s china pieces and—and stole my pants.”\n\nScarfe cocked a brow.\n\n“Oh wow, this is horrible on the other side.” \n\nKnight laughed, but it was the kind that meant she was here for business and not to go easy on Steve. He respected that about her. Firm, but gentle. He liked her already. \n\n“I had sex with my husband outside,” Steve admitted, feeling his cheeks go hot. “Someone took my pants—and my phone.” \n\n“Oh wow,” Scarfe said, jotting down a note. “You gay?”\n\n“Scarfe!” \n\n“It’s fine. I’m married to a man, but I’ve loved women too. Call it whatever you want. I don’t really care. This isn’t a hate crime or anything. I don’t even think there was a crime. Bruce just—died.” Steve hadn’t thought about her for awhile, but he could suddenly smell Peggy’s perfume again, feel her soft skin beneath his fingers. He looked over at Bucky. He’d loved her, sure. He’d loved many people in his life. He chose Bucky. He’d always chose Bucky. Gay, bi, pan, whatever. He didn’t want to talk about it right now. That wasn’t what was important.\n\n“I still apologize for his rude phrasing.” Knight shot her partner a look. Steve really did like the way she communicated with her eyes. \n\n“It’s really not an issue.” Steve shrugged. \n\n“So, you think someone stole your pants when you were uh—preoccupied.” Scarfe waggled his brows. Steve would’ve laughed if he wasn’t so exhausted from the evening. \n\n“Yeah, but I really don’t care about my pants. Bruce just—he got cold and he died.” Steve looked over his shoulder at Rhodey and Tony, mournfully looking over Bruce’s body as the photographers took their shots. It was clear they weren’t ruling out foul play. \n\n“Did you see anyone in the house? Bucky said there was a girl who bashed his head into the shower.”\n\nSteve winced. “Yeah, I don’t—I don’t know if that happened or not.” \n\n“Care to elaborate?” Knight asked, tilting her head. \n\n“He could’ve fallen and thought he saw that. I dunno. He hit the wall hard. There’s blood in the bedroom, the bed’s all wet. He could’ve passed out and not even known it.” \n\n“Do you care if we go upstairs and take a look?” Scarfe asked. \n\n“Sure, you’re completely allowed to look at whatever you need to.” Steve crossed his arms, sighing. “Bruce just—he was in the basement. Got cold and then not even an hour later he’s head? Can a disease really do that?”\n\nKnight looked at the group in the room, she jerked her head away from the group, leading Steve closer to the foyer. “From a cop to a cop? Poison can do that.”\n\n“What? You think—” Steve couldn’t even say the rest. “We’re his best friends.”\n\n“Family murders family. I’m just bein’ real with you, Steve. We can’t rule it out. It’s possible he died naturally, but it’s still suspicious. A healthy man in his thirties doesn’t just drop dead without a reason.” \n\nSteve looked at his friends. It wasn’t Rhodey, it couldn’t’ve been Tony. He looked to Nat, Clint and—Bucky. None of them were capable of such a thing. \n\n“It wasn’t them.” Steve stared at Knight, praying his absolute certainty pierced into her. “I know it.” \n\nShe nodded, closing her notebook. “I’m gonna ask around. Check out upstairs. Hope your husband’s okay.” She gave him a pat on the shoulder before heading upstairs with her partner. \n\nSteve shoved his hands into his pockets, sitting next to Bucky. “You okay?”\n\nBucky took a long inhale through the nose, staring at Bruce. “I wanna get out of here, Steve.”\n\n“I know. Can’t say I’m not right there with you.” \n\n“We can crash at a hotel. Get our things later.” \n\n“Bucky, wait, what?”\n\nBucky blinked. His eyes went foggy for a moment. Steve reached out, grabbing his husband’s cheek.\n\n“Hey, you okay?”\n\n“I just—I got dizzy. No biggie.” He brushed his hair back, frowning. “I don’t wanna live in this house. Not after this.” \n\n“Bucky. It’s just a spooky night. Close to Halloween, our first night, some creepy stuff spooked us. It’s fine. The house isn’t haunted.”\n\nBucky snorted. “Yes it is, Steve. I’ve seen it.” \n\nSteve traced his fingers along Bucky’s jaw. “You hit your head. You could’ve seen anything. Mind’s are pretty powerful like that.”\n\nBucky jerked away, snarling. “Don’t fuckin’ patronize me, Steve. I expect that shit from Tony but not you.” He stood up, stomping away and into Nat’s arms. She held him, rocking him back and forth. Jealousy swelled in Steve’s stomach. He had to remember they were best friends. They weren’t lovers. But the anger at Bucky’s purposeful move over to Natasha left a bitter taste in Steve’s mouth. \n\n“We stayin’ or goin’?” \n\nSteve looked up, blinking.\n\n“I’m not leaving you and Bucky alone in this house,” Tony said. “So we [[stayin’]] or [[what]]?”\n

Bucky stood at the backdoor, his fingers trembling. His friends were behind him, watching with round eyes and tense shoulders. Ghosts… Fucking ghosts… Bucky whimpered. He didn’t want to die here. That cop had been brutalized. Nat and Clint were gone… God only knows if they’d be safe.\n\nHe opened the backdoor, shocked it actually opened. The rain was lightening up. He walked along the soft grass, squelching the rain-soaked earth below him. \n\n“Oh God what am I doing?” he said to himself. He marched right up to the pond. A girl died here. He turned around, looking at Steve. He was in the doorway, watching. \n\n“Okay—uh—girl.” Bucky fiddled with his hands. “I need to know what’s happening. Do we save you? Do we help you or something? You n’ I got some kinda connection? You need our help right?”\n\nNothing. \n\n“Jesus.” He turned around, waving at Steve, who promptly waved back. \n\n“I don’t wanna die. I—I know you probably didn’t want to either. It ain’t fair, is it?” Bucky sat down, wincing when his fresh boxers started soaking through. “I’m sorry for what happened to you.” He looked out over the pond, aware of the hairs on the back of his neck. Terror clung to his skin like sap to a tree. “I just wanna help.” \n\n‘Don’t save him.’\n\nBucky blinked, looking around in the darkness. Trees swayed like hanging dead. He turned back to see Steve and friends in the doorway again. \n\n‘Don’t save him. Wrong.’\n\n“Who? What’s wrong?” Bucky was sure he heard something that time. He waited for a long time, the rain soaking through his clothes. When his feet started to tingle, he decided she wasn’t going to talk anymore. Bucky stood, sighing. \n\n“Anything?” Steve asked as Bucky entered the house, sopping wet. \n\n“I dunno.” Bucky wrapped his arms around himself. Steve promptly brought a dry hoodie over and helped him change. “Something about not savin’ someone.”\n\n“What was it?” Bruce asked. \n\n“Not supposed to save someone. I don’t know who or what.”\n\nTony scoffed. “Go figure. She didn’t decide to tell us where the evil bones are? Or how to break the curse or whatever? C’mon, let’s just get out of here. I’m not gonna sit around and wait to get my face chopped off.” \n\n“Tony,” Steve said, authority rumbling in his chest. “She said we had to stay.” \n\n“Clint and Nat are gone. Need I remind any of you that?\n\nSteve rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. “We have to trust Bucky on this.”\n\n“Why?” Tony asked, backing up toward the living room. “Because some little girl shows up for him but none of us? C’mon, Steve!” \n\n“I trust him.” \n\n“Whatever.” Tony turned around, moving toward the coat closet. “I’m outtie.” \n\nBucky was shivering, but not enough to start chasing Tony down the hall. “Tony! Trust me on this!”\n“Why?” He spun around, his eyes wide and angry. “Newsflash! This house is haunted. I’m not gonna hang around and wait to get murdered!”\n\nSteve’s phone chirped. Everyone halted to stare at it, eyes going increasingly wider. Bruce swallowed thickly, watching the phone like a demon would sprout at any second. \n“Ya gonna get that?” Tony asked.\n\nSteve walked over to the phone, sighing in relief. “It’s Nat.” \n\nBucky shifted. He hated wet pants. At least Nat was calling.\n\n“Where are you?” Steve’s eyes widened. “Oh my God! Are you okay?!” \n\nBucky ran out of the kitchen, clinging to the archway as he watched Bruce and Tony crowd Steve more. \n\n“What?” Bucky asked. No one looked his way. “What?!” \n\n“Yeah, we’re still here. It’s been—it’s been scary.” Steve sat on the sofa. “Get back here soon.”\n\n“Oh,” Bruce said, blinking. “So she’s good?” \n\n“Nat,” Steve sighs in relief, “Nat’s okay, but she and Clint got in a car accident. Clint went to get help. Nat’s coming back.”\n\nBucky fell back, boneless. Nat was okay… She was brave, coming back here when Clint was still staying away, but the girl seemed like she needed them here, or that them being here was so she could protect them. That was good, right? \n\nThey just had to wait for Nat to come back. \n\n“So you still leaving Tony?” Bucky asked. “Even after hearing that they got in a wreck?”\n\nTony crossed his arms. “Fine. No.”\n\nBucky nodded. He didn’t feel any better about that.\n\n“So we have a ghost,” Bruce said. “We know that one of them may actually be good and the other is bad. And we have to maybe save the girl ghost?”\n\nBucky shrugged. “Maybe?”\n\n“Research,” Tony said. “Let’s get researching.” He pulled out his phone, typing away. “Where she got buried and all that. Same with him. Blah blah.” \n\n“Oh.” Bucky felt stupid. He should’ve known to do something like that. His job was all about researching how people died. “Let’s [[get researching]].”\n

Natasha cupped Bucky’s face, nodding. “It’s okay.” She pulled him into a hug. “We’ll be fine.”\n\n“Okay,” Bucky whispered, clutching her. “Just be safe!”\n\n“We’ll be fine,” Clint said. “It’s just a storm out there.”\n\nTears warmed Bucky’s eyes. He watched Natasha pull away, like a tumbling chess piece. He could already hear the clatter as it tumbled to the floor. She was slipping away. Something—made him feel the severity of this was…different. Like this wasn’t the right decision. \n\n“Call us when you get to a hotel?” Bucky asked.\n\n“Absolutely.” She smiled, waving at them.\n\n“I expect texts every three minutes,” Tony said, nodding.\n\n“I’ll call you when we’re safe.” Natasha smirked, following Clint down the dark hall. Bucky bit his lip, his heart coiling in his chest. It didn’t feel right, even if it wasn’t his decision. \n\n“We should—clean this up,” Bruce said, looking back at the officer. \n\n“We can’t,” Steve said. “That’s technically a crime scene.” \n\n“We can’t call the cops,” Bucky said, shrugging. “They’ll also die.” \n\n“How do you know that?” Tony asked. “Little girl whispering in your ear?”\n\n“That’s not funny.” Steve turned on Tony, his eyes glaring a dark warning. \n\n“Look, I get it.” Tony held his hands up. “We’re scared. There’s obviously something menacing here, but what if Barton’s got the right idea? Get out now? The ghost is haunting this house, right? If we leave, it doesn’t have any power over us.”\n\n“If it’s an imprint,” Bruce said. “If it’s actually a fully-fledged ghost, there’s really nothing keeping it here aside from maybe the house brings about familiarity.” \n\n“So what, we stay here where we know it’s not safe or we leave where it might not be safe but we don’t know that for sure?” Tony looked at everyone’s faces, his eyes strained. “Seriously?”\n\n“I’m staying,” Steve said. “That’s a cop. One of mine. You can leave, but I’m not.”\n\n“Oh fuck me,” Tony whispered. “Fine! Fine. Whatever.” \n\nBucky walked to the balcony, looking through the window above the door—a giant circular glass beacon, just like the one in the bedroom. He saw Clint’s headlights. “This feels wrong.” Something cold pressed into his side. He felt fingers caress over the shell of his ear—icy. He sucked in a deep breath, praying it was just his imagination. “Oh Nat…” \n\nSteve stood by his side, linking their hands together. “So what do we do baby?”\n\nBucky flicked up his brow briefly. “Honestly? I’ve got no damn idea.” \n\n“We just—wait?”\n\n“Everything’s silent now.” Bucky turned around, grabbing Steve’s hips. “We need to figure out what’s happening.”\n\n“How?”\n\n“Learn about her,” Bucky replied. He bit his lip, curling his toes. “She’s the girl who died in the pond. I think we know that much so far.” \n\n“Figures.” Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Okay—let’s look up some stuff downstairs. Where’s your laptop, Steve?” \n\n“Should be in the parlor, probably on the fireplace mantle.” \n\n“So we’re staying,” Bruce said, descending the stairs. “This is literally the worst decision in the history of decisions!” \n\nBucky looked to Steve, nibbling his lips. “You sure you don’t wanna leave?”\n\nSteve covered Bucky’s mouth with his. “I can’t leave an officer behind.” \n\nWhen they opened their eyes, Bucky gasped, pressing back into the balcony. The girl was standing there, but her face wasn’t unkind. She stared, sad—not angry. \n“Steve. Look behind you.” \n\nSteve’s eyes widened. Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned around. “Oh my God.” \n\nThe girl fizzled, before coming into focus again. “You shouldn’t have let them leave.” \n\n“Why?” Bucky asked. “So you can’t kill them?”\n\nThe girl shook her head. “It was the wrong decision.”\n\n“Why?” Steve snapped. “Explain to us then?! What do you want from us?”\n\n“They made the wrong decision. He’ll be angry.”\n\n“Who?” Steve asked. “Who?!”\n\nThe girl’s face contorted to fear, she screamed, running down the hall. Bucky and Steve both were pushed to the floor, it felt like talons clawing into Bucky’s back, he screamed. They tumbled into each other, knocking into each other’s heads.\n\n“Steve! Bucky!” Tony? Bruce? Bucky wasn’t sure. “Oh my God.”\n\nBucky felt cold. He looked at Steve, blinking. The world was blurry. “S-Steve?”\n\n“Bruce! We need a lot of gauze!” \n\n“What’s… What’s…” The world was spinning, everything moving too fast. Warmth wetted down his back, but the world kept spinning. He tried to reach out and grab the floor, but his hands were sweaty. He couldn't make the spinning stop.\n\n“Don’t move big guy,” Tony said. “You’re gonna be fine.” \n\n“St-Steve?”\n\n“Steve’s fine,” Tony said again. “We’ll patch you two up.”\n\nBucky craned his neck, eyes rounding in horror. His back was slashed, like a raven—no—countless ravens had descended upon him. He looked at Steve, gasping. “Baby…”\n\n“He’s fine,” Bruce said. “Steve, tell him you’re fine.”\n\n“I’m in a lot of pain,” Steve said, slowly sitting up. “Jesus fuck!” \n\n“And you’re supposed to be a good Catholic boy.” Tony clicked his tongue. “Your mother would be ashamed.” \n\n“Less banter and more bandages,” Steve said. “Fuck it stings.”\n\n“We should wash these,” Bruce said. \n\n“The girl,” Bucky said. “She—she was scared.” \n\n“You saw her?” Tony asked. He leaned forward, his eyes conflicted in what he wanted to ask with what he wanted to remain ignorant to. “What happened?”\n\n“I don’t think she’s hurting us.” Bucky groaned, sitting up. “I think she’s trying to protect us. She can’t protect us if we’re not in the house.”\n\n“Oh God.” Bruce dropped the gauze. “Clint and Nat.”\n\n“Yeah…” Bucky sighed. “Clint and Nat.” \n\n****\n\nThey managed to get Steve and Bucky bandaged up and in the living room. Everyone was tense, sitting silently. Every bump, every crash horrified them. Their only hope was that Bucky was right—that the girl really was protecting them.\n\n“So what do we do?” Bruce asked. “I mean, she’s a ghost, and she’s afraid. So we—we try to save her?”\n\n“How do you save a ghost?” Tony asked. “I mean—hell—I didn’t even believe in them till Rumlow got his face ripped in half.” \n\n“I need to talk to her,” Bucky said. Bucky would hear a pin drop if one did—the room went so quiet. “I think she and I have some kind of connection. I dunno. But I at least have to [[talk to her again]]. Maybe it’s the only way.” \n\nSteve looked to Tony and Bruce, all of them wearing matching looks of concern. “You sure?” Steve asked.\n\nBucky nodded. “It’s the only way.”\n

Steve kept his mouth shut. It was probably just his imagination anyway. The house was old and unfamiliar and the sun was setting. Old houses always played tricks on people. \n\n“I saw her,” Bucky said as he stared at the wet, muddy dress. “I heard gurgling so I jumped into the pond and pulled that out. Felt someone tap me on the shoulder and I saw in the sun room, just watching me.” \n\nSteve bit his lip, feeling his heart start racing in his chest. A slow chill went down his spine. He moved to wrap his arms around Bucky. Bucky leaned into him, pressing a kiss to his face.\n\n“So there’s a naked girl in the house?” Tony asked as he looked around. “Can you say awkward?”\n\n“Tony,” Bruce chided. “She’s probably scared. It’s almost pitch black out.”\n\n“Why would she take her dress off?” Natasha questioned. “I mean, that’s weird right?”\n\n“Maybe she got tangled in the chains,” Steve offered. “Probably playing around our pond and fell in.”\n\n“Christ,” Sam said, dropping his head. “That’s a huge liability for you two.”\n\n“We could fill the pond?” Bucky offered, shrugging.\n\n“One step at a time,” Steve said with a sigh. “Okay. We’ll split up. Bucky and I’ll look around down here. Nat and Clint can take the basement and Sam, Tony and Bruce’ll go upstairs. Make sure you poke your head into the attic too. Just in case."\n\n“Sure, whatever. Wild goosechase for the naked girl,” Tony snorted. “I hope her mother’s home.”\n\nBucky crossed his arms, his face sporting a displeased pout. \n\n“That an okay plan, baby?” Steve asked, raising his brows. \n\n“Yeah it’s fine. Just worried about her.”\n\nThe group split up, Bucky and Steve taking the main floor. They wandered through the rooms, checking cabinets, closets, and the door to the basement despite the fact that Natasha and Clint had wandered down there. They moved over to the parlor when Bucky finally turned to Steve with round eyes and softly shook his head. \n\n“Fuck she was right behind me,” Bucky blurted.\n\nSteve froze, cocking a brow at Bucky’s sudden detailing. \n\n“Steve I heard her,” Bucky began. “I heard gurgling and splashing. I jumped in and she wasn’t there and then she was in the house…” He dropped his hands to his side, rolling his head back. “I don’t know, somethin’– somethin’ ain’t right, doll.” \n\nSteve nodded, opening one of the corner cabinets and checking inside. “We’ll find her. She’s just a little girl. I saw some tracks in the sun room. So, we know she’s around somewhere.” At that moment, something smacked against the window. Both men jumped, looking over to see a splatter of mud against the widow. “Looks like she’s out now,” Steve commented. \n\n“Should we go outside?” Bucky asked. \n\nSteve sighed, moving to run his fingers up and down Bucky’s arms, pressing a slow, gentle kiss to his lips. “Do you wanna make sure she’s safe?”\n\n“Please?” Bucky responded, looking up with round, nervous eyes. “I just wanna make sure.”\n\n“Okay. We’ll go outside.”\n\n“Oh shit!” Bucky gasped. “We’ve left Pietro in his crate this entire time.” He bent down, opening the cat’s crate and letting it out. “Sorry, buddy. I didn’t mean to forget cha!”\n\nThe cat skittered upstairs, mewling in annoyance.\n\n“Such a jerk,” Steve commented as he clicked his tongue. “I hope he likes kids.”\n\nBucky turned to Steve with a goofy smile on his face. “Kids?”\n\nSteve shrugged as he leaned against the front door. “I mean, don’t you want ‘em?”\n\nBucky pressed himself against Steve, kissing his cheek down to his jaw. “I want a lot of things with you,” he whispered.\n\nSteve rolled his hips into Bucky, purring in content. “Mmm, do you?”\n\nBucky nipped at Steve’s ear before pulling away. “We should go check on that girl.” \n\nSteve sighed, hitting his head back against the door. “Fine, fine. Can we break in our bed later?”\n\nBucky snorted, pushing Steve playfully as they walked outside. “We’ve got a tub full of sex toys. Do you honestly think I’m going to pass up the chance to use them on you?”\n\nSteve giggled softly before turning back around to flip the porchlight on. \n\nOnce outside, they looked around. The sky was almost dark now and the only things around were trees, a few random boxes that had really nothing in them and cars. “Check under the cars, baby?” Steve suggested. \n\nBucky looked under the cars while Steve walked around them, peeking in boxes and scanning the trees. No one seemed to be out here. \n\n“Nothing,” Bucky commented. \n\n“Yeah. Maybe she ran home,” Steve affirmed. “It’s getting late for kids to be out right?”\n\nBucky shrugged. “As if you n’ I ever listened to curfews.” He grabbed Steve’s arm, pushing him against Natasha’s car. “God, I could take you right here, right now.” \n\nSteve’s eyebrows raised. He let out the softest gasp, tilting his head so Bucky could kiss down his throat roughly. “Ugh, fuck that’d be nice.” \n\n“Wanna?” Bucky asked, his hands already moving to undo Steve’s pants. “Quick n’ dirty. Be like high school again at your football games.” \n\nSteve looked back at the house. Everyone else was still searching. While he was pretty sure the girl went home they did have time for a [[quick one]]. Or they could just [[go back inside now]]. \n\n

"Is this another one of your damn crazy ideas?" Bucky asked. He didn't want to keep clinging to the girl's words.\n\n"Could be, why?" Steve pursed his lips, crossing his arms.\n\n"Fuck, Steve. I don't know..."\n\n"You're shitting me." Steve stared with a flat expression, shoulders dropping. \n\n"Well, I trust Steve, so let's go!" Tony said, marching over to grab Steve's arm.\n\nBucky cringed. His tongue felt too hot in his mouth. Not trusting Steve was like living with his skin turned inside out. It just wasn't right. \n \n\n“We need to get to the basement.” Steve’s voice shattered Bucky’s anguished thoughts, dredging up dust and fear. \n\n“Are you shitting me? That’s the exact place we do NOT need to be!” Tony said, brows pinched. "I don't trust you anymore!"\n\n“I know it’s crazy. But I think I remember seeing a room down there? One that we couldn’t open. I put some boxes in front of it.” \n\n“That’s not weird or anything,” Bruce stated, tossing his hands up. “Okay, why the fuck not. Let’s go fight the zombie girl and the creepy shadow guy.” \n\nThey turned toward the house. Bucky saw a glimpse of a shining girl hiding behind a tree. He paused, tilting his head to the side. She stepped out, shaking her head no. He opened his mouth to speak, blinked—and she was gone.\nBucky sighed, looking up at the house. He didn’t like this… He could stop them, maybe. But would Steve forgive him so quickly for not trusting him?\n\nSteve was stubborn. That answer was staring Bucky down with a resounding no.\n\nThey filtered into the house, one behind the other. Hands gripped shoulders. It was best if they stayed like this to stick together. The house was creaking in ways Bucky had never heard before. It was moaning, or crying. He wasn’t sure. They crept toward the basement, Steve at the front.\n\n“We should burn this place,” Tony said. “Bet you two could get some insurance money for it.” He waggled his brows at Bucky.\n\nBucky rolled his eyes. He wasn’t opposed to the idea though… \nThey crept down the basement stairs. Bucky’s hairs stood on end. His whole body was whirring with fight or flight. Adrenaline pumped into him, mixing with blood and hammering in his ears. He felt sick. Clinging to the walls was hard when they were moist with some kind of thick goo. He slipped once, but Steve caught him. \n\n“You okay?” Steve was stiff, his face pained. Bucky nodded and together they went to the front of the group. \n\nBucky furrowed his brow, listening to the strange moaning behind the door. Steve pulled some boxes away, showing it off. It looked ancient—older than the house itself. \n\n“Is someone in there?” Bruce asked.\n\n“Dunno,” Steve said. “But I think this is where we’re supposed to go.” \n\nBucky blinked, listening to the sounds. They were melodic, pitchy and almost like someone was crying. He looked at Steve, furrowing his brow. “How do you know?”\n\nSteve shrugged. “It’s a spooky door in a haunted house, Buck. Why else would it be here?”\n\n“It could get us all killed.” Tony moved to sit on the washer. “I’m not doing it.” \n\n“Okay,” Steve said. “I’m not asking that we all go. Maybe just two?” \n\nBucky’s heart sank. He knew who’d be going with Steve. He shifted forward, listening to that melodic cry. It was familiar. He’d heard it somewhere before, but didn’t know it till now. Kind of like a store jingle. It was gone from the mind until he heard it again—then it was like he’d never stopped listening. \n\n“I wonder if that’s the girl.” Bucky traced his hand over the door. It was freezing. “Maybe we’ve gotta get her out?” \n\n“Maybe.” Steve put his hands on his hips. “All I know is—this scares the shit out of me.” \n\n“And yet we’re here, standing before the door?” Tony asked, cocking his head. “Wanna explain that logic?”\n\n“Gut feeling,” Steve said. \n\n“Do you think it’s locked though?” Bucky asked, caressing the keyhole. “What if we need a key.”\n\n“Break it down,” Bruce said. “With Steve’s arm, that shouldn’t be that hard.” \n\nBucky rolled his eyes. Though, he looked at his husband, big biceps, broad chest that he could practically fuck. Yeah, it shouldn’t be too hard. \n\n“Maybe it’s magically unlocked.” Tony jumped down, shrugging. “Have we tried that one yet?”\n\nBucky turned the knob. The crying instantly stopped. “It’s open.” \n\n“Oh Jesus,” Bruce said. “Open it before I change my mind.” \n\nBucky did, slipping inside the door. He and Steve got in before it slammed shut behind them. They turned, pounding and screaming. Terror gripped at Bucky’s heart like death grabbed at the elderly. It tugged, haunting him, teasing him until he would just give up. He fought, screaming for Bruce or Tony to open the door. He wouldn’t give up. He wouldn’t! \nHe was pulled back, flung across the room. \n\nWhen he opened his eyes, Steve was on an old chair in the middle, his body strapped in and his eyes gushing tears. His face was beaten, his lip bloody. He sobbed—that familiar sound. \n\n“Steve!” Bucky stood up, reaching for him.\n\n“Bucky, no!” \n\nBucky turned, looking to another Steve, the one he’d come in here with. But… “Wait…” Bucky looked back to the crying form on the chair. He was gasping, his lungs rattling inside his body. \n\n“That’s not me, Bucky.” \n\nBucky looked again, circling the sobbing man in the chair. He wanted to reach out—to touch. Screaming… He could hear screaming. “Bruce?! TONY!” Bucky ran for the door, banging again. Silence. “Fuck me.” \n\n“We’ve gotta get out of here,” Steve said. He started feeling around the walls.\n\n“But that’s you!” Bucky pointed accusingly at the man in the chair. He hadn’t looked up yet. He just kept sobbing. It tore at Bucky’s heart, squeezed his lungs and pushed at the backs of his eyes. He couldn’t witness his husband suffer like that. “Jesus, Steve! That’s you!” \n\n“No it’s not!” he said. "I’m right here.” \n\nBucky backed up to the wall. There were no windows in the room. He couldn’t really see much other than a faint red glow that came from the twisting wires around the other Steve’s body. The walls seemed bulbous with ancient brick and they glistened with moisture. \n\n“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” Bucky said, feeling hopeless. “I can’t leave you like that.”\n\n“That’s not me, Bucky.” Steve stepped forward, reaching out. "Maybe if you'd put a little more TRUST in me, you'd know that!" \n\n“I'm just, Jesus. I'm sorry!” Bucky ignored Steve’s hand and moved to cup the sitting Steve’s face. He looked up, choking out an unused rattled laugh. What if this really was the right Steve and the other one was trying to mess with his head?"\n\n“B-Bucky!” \n\n“Steve?”\n\n“Get me out,” Steve pleaded. “Please get me out, he’s gonna kill me, please get me out!” He started shaking, pulling at the restraints. The red burned brighter and he cried out.\n\n“Steve!” It made sense, why the other was so bitter about Bucky not going along with his plans. This was his Steve, this poor, crying man in the chair!\n\n“That’s not me, Bucky!” the standing Steve said again. “It’s a trap!” \n\n“I don't know” Bucky said, tears filling his eyes. “I can’t—I can’t know.” \n\n“Baby, I swear to God, I’m right here.” \n\nBucky looked to the crying man in the chair. He wailed, dropping his head back, whispering, please don’t kill me, please don’t kill me. Bucky’s heart lurched. He stroked the man’s face, nodding. “I’ll get you out.” \n\n“Bucky!” Steve snapped. “Don’t do it!” \n\n“WWhat if you're not even you! What if you're the imposter!?” \n\n“It’s not. Me. Bucky.” Steve furrowed his brow, lifting his chin. “Jesus Christ, trust me!” \n\n“You’re the one who led me in here,” Bucky said. “You’re the one who thought this is where we had to be?” He looked up, clenching his jaw. “How do I know you’re the real Steve?” \n\nSteve blinked, looking around. “Because—I just—seriously, Bucky?” \n\n“YOU LED US DOWN HERE!” Bucky tried to pull at the restraints and the man in the chair screamed. “Oh shit!” \n\n“Bucky, that’s not me. Why would I bring you in here only to want to leave again?”\n \n“I dunno,” Bucky answered lamely. “None of any of this makes sense.” He dropped to his knees before the crying Steve, caressing his knee. “But I won’t leave him.” \n\n“Bucky,” Steve pleaded. “Trust me. I made a mistake! I thought this is where we needed to go!” \n\nBucky swallowed. Trust him? He didn’t even know who that man was. \n\n“What’s my birthday?” \n\n“March 10th. Bucky c’mon!” \n\n“What did I tell you when we got married?”\n\nSteve blinked. “What?”\n\n“What did I tell you the day we got married? Right after I slipped the ring onto your finger.”\n\nSteve faltered, blinking. “I—you said—oh fuck.” \n\n“You said—” the sitting Steve said, voice agonized with disuse and screaming. “We better get a damn dog.” \n\nBucky stood up, shaking his head at the standing Steve. “Why’d you lead me here?”\n\n“Bucky!” He tossed his hands up. “Seriously? I didn’t fucking know! I had an idea! I didn’t fucking know!” \n\n“You’re not my Steve.” \n\n“Yes I am!” \n\nBucky pulled at the restraints on the other Steve, wincing when the man cried out. It caused so much pain but Bucky could see the rope getting looser and looser. \n\n“Bucky PLEASE!” the standing Steve shouted, his voice giving out. “Trust me.” \n\nBucky licked his lips, looking from the [[crying Steve]] to the [[one standing]]. Which did he believe more? \n

“Yeah we can take a look around,” Steve said. “You gonna be okay, Buck?”\n\nBucky sighed, nodding. “Just be safe.”\n\nSteve smiled. “We’ll get baseball bats.” He moved over to the closet, grabbing a pair of bats and handed one to Clint. \n\n“Don’t know how much help this’ll be if it’s ghosts,” Clint said. “But I like the balance here.” \n\nSteve rolled his eyes, snorting. “If we live through the night, I’ll even let you play with it tomorrow.” \n\n“Jackass,” Clint said as they started going up the stairs.\n\nBucky listened carefully for every creak and door up there. Bruce stood at the foot of the stairs, on edge. Bucky would too if he didn’t feel so out of it. He was exhausted. The wound on his head throbbed painfully and his vision blurred every now and then. Maybe this whole thing was just because he slipped in the shower. But he didn’t just slip in there. Something lured him in. He was shoved. Someone spoke to him! \n\nThe doorbell rang. Bucky jumped, his gaze snapping to the front door. Natasha stood up, giving him a soft smile before whispering to Bruce.\n\nBruce looked right at Bucky, nodding. \n\nMaybe they all thought he was crazy. \n\nHe looked to his hands, listening to the steps upstairs. So far so good, he guessed. \n\n“Hey Steve!” Bruce called. “Cop’s here!” \n\n“Great! So far it’s all clear up here though!” Steve and Clint eventually made their way back. Bucky slunk into the foyer, feeling drained. Every blink of the eye made him want to slip to sleep. He blinked slowly a few times, watching Steve and Clint descend the stairs.\n \nIt looked like someone was behind Clint, but that had to be his imagination right? The wound? They’d found nothing upstairs so far. Maybe the cop would do better. \n\nFor now, they just needed to [[greet the cop]].\n

Steve slammed his head against the wall, letting his eyelids droop. “Suck me off then, baby.”\n\nBucky giggled darkly before pressing a kiss against Steve’s lips. He pulled back, running his tongue suggestively over his top lip. “M’gonna make you feel so good, doll.”\n\nHe dropped to his knees, yanking Steve’s pants down to his ankles. “You’re gonna change anyway, right?” he asked, looking up through dark lashes. It was dark out and the beginnings of rain pattering against the windows did nothing to help brighten the room but Steve could still see how dark those lashes were. \n\n“Yeah,” Steve breathed out, tracing his thumb against Bucky’s bottom lip. He stepped out of his jeans, kicking them aside. \n\nBucky kissed against Steve’s thigh. He gently pulled at Steve’s legs, spreading them just a tad so he could get closer and start nibbling at Steve’s inner thigh.\n\n“Oh…fuck, Bucky,” Steve sighed out as he rolled his head against the wall. \n\nBucky giggled softly, his hot breath tracing over Steve’s inner thigh, making him shiver. “You’ve got such beautiful legs,” Bucky said as he ran his hands up and down Steve’s legs. \n\n“Mm,” Steve hummed as he nudged his hips forward, attempting to get Bucky’s attention. \n\n“Oh? What’s that, doll?” Bucky teased as he scooted closer. “You got a problem, don’t ya?”\n\nSteve nodded. \n\n“You want me to take care of it for you?” he prodded teasingly. Steve could punch him, that smirk was so sly. \n\n“Yeah, baby,” Steve whispered. “I want you to take care of it.” \n\n“Mmm,” Bucky hummed as he mouthed over Steve’s erection, sending tiny jolts of pleasure through his stomach and down into his toes. “I do love takin’ care of you, doll.” He traced his fingers along Steve’s length through his briefs. \n\nSteve bucked his hips. “B-Bucky!” he gasped. “Please don’t fuck with me.”\n\nBucky laughed loudly. “Why not? They can’t hear us down there.”\n\n“Bucky, please…” Steve whined.\n[[-Have Bucky tease him-]] [[-Have Bucky listen to him-]]\n

“I’ll finish up here. I’ve got the bathroom to deal with anyway. I’ll come downstairs later,” Bruce said, nodding softly as he pointed back toward the bathroom. \n\n“Okay,” Steve said. “Don’t touch my sex toys!” He giggled, exiting the room and walking down the hall.\n \nHe looked at the wall lights. He should probably call Tony and ask for light bulbs. Most of the ones up here weren’t working anymore. \n\nHe flipped open his phone, dialing Tony’s number. He picked up on the third click.\n\n“Steve,” he answered politely. “I’m not getting you a veggie tray. I’m already on my way back. Eat some damn junk food for once in your life.”\n\nSteve laughed, leaning against the wall. “Ah, I wanted light bulbs. We’re running on only a couple upstairs.”\n\n“Check the basement? There may be some down there from the previous owners,” he responded. \n\n“That’s a good idea.”\n\n“Oh, also, Thor is following me. Saw him at the store. He drove up from the city, figured you wouldn’t mind if he stays the night too?”\n\nThor wasn’t actually the man’s real, first name, but it was his last name. His first name was Chris, but because he looked like a Norse god, everyone called him by his last name. “Yeah! Sure no prob. I’ll dig out more blankets. People are gonna have to fight for the couch.”\n\nTony laughed. “I brought that thing in! I call it! \n\nSteve nodded to himself, walking down the stairs. “Good luck with that.” He traced his fingers along the molding of one of the archways before entering the dining room, looking at the long dining table they’d purchased at an antique flea market. It blended perfectly with its soft swaying curves and ornate decoration on the legs. “How far are you still?”\n\n“Eh, ‘bout five or ten minutes.”\n\n“See you soon then,” Steve responded. He waited for Tony to say his salutations before hanging up the phone.\n\nHe went into the kitchen. Natasha and Bucky were putting plates away. Clint was sitting at the breakfast nook, staring out the window and over to the glass bonus room. \nSteve went behind Bucky, wrapping his arms around him and giving him a soft kiss to the side of his neck. “Hey homeowner,” he whispered. \n\nBucky laughed, turning around and wrapping his arms around Steve’s neck. “Hey homeowner,” he responded. “We’re almost finished in here. Wanna help set the TV up?”\n\nSteve nodded, pressing a quick kiss to Bucky’s lips. “Sure. Wanna help me Clint?”\n\nClint stood up, glancing at the boxes on the table still. “Sure, thing.” He kissed Natasha on the forehead. \n\nClint sat on the suede, caramel sofa. He ran his fingers up and down, feeling the fabric. “I like this couch.”\n\nSteve laughed. “Get your ass over here,” Steve chastised. “Help me attach the TV to the wall.”\n\nSteve pulled out the wall hanger, handing it over to Clint. He took out the hammer, hooks and nails and began putting the wall hanger up.\n\n“So, when’s Tony getting’ back with the beer?” Clint asked.\n\nSteve took the wall hanger from him, attaching it to the wall with some screws and his Philip’s head screwdriver. “Should be any minute now.”\n\n“This is gonna be one hell of a place, Steve,” Clint said, looking around the room. “You and Buck sure know how to decorate a house.”\n\nSteve laughed. “Well…we are gay. Can you get the TV out of the box while I finish this?” \n\nClint pulled the TV out, balancing it on his toes as he watched Steve finish up. He lifted it into the air, letting Steve take the other side as they both hooked it up into the wall hanger. “Is it in?” Clint asked. \n\n“…That’s…what she said?” Steve answered, sporting an expression that wasn’t entirely sure if it was proud of itself or constipated. \n\nClint’s eyes narrowed at him. “You’re a little shit.” \n\nSteve chuckled. “Yeah, it’s attached.” He grabbed the remote, putting the batteries in and turning the TV on; testing it out. They didn’t have cable or satellite; they’d made the decision to just use Netflix and their game console. Still, Steve flipped the few basic channels that came through, looking to the news. He grimaced as there was a little icon in the upper left corner that said to expect severe thunder storms tonight. \n\n“I have returned! I come bearing Norse gods, beer and wine! All the women should fall to my feet and worship me as their divine!” Tony said as he walked through the open front door with Thor at his tail. \n\nSteve turned, smiling at the two. \n\n“Anything left outside?” Thor asked. \n\nNatasha came into the room, hugging Thor. “It’s so good to see you!” she chimed. \n\n“I think we got everything from outside,” Clint responded, watching Natasha hug Thor. \n\n“Where should I put this?” Tony asked, holding up the two twenty-four packs of beer. \n\n“Kitchen,” Steve responded. \n\nHe followed Tony into the kitchen, walking over to Bucky who was staring out the back window over the sink. Bucky’s lips were parted and he had the slightest look of confusion against his face, furrowing his brow and narrowing those large, blue eyes. “What’s wrong?” Steve asked. \n\n“I thought I saw-” Bucky shrugged. “Nevermind. I think the moon’s just playing games with my head.”\n\nSteve looked out the window as Bucky went to help Tony put the beer away. He furrowed his brow, straining his eyes to look out into the night. He looked up into the sky, but he didn’t see a moon. The sky was hid with shadowy clouds. Steve was curious. “What’dya think you saw, baby?” \n\nBucky was kneeling on the floor, dropping the beer cans into the bins in the fridge. “I thought I saw a girl. Over by the pond.”\n\n“Couldda been Bruce?” Tony suggested. “Where’s he at?”\n\n“Upstairs I think,” Steve said, looking up at the ceiling. He hadn’t heard from him since he left him up there. \n\n“I’ll go check on him,” Bucky said, jogging out of the room. “Oh shit! Pietro! Yes, we can let you out now Pietro!” Steve heard Bucky’s voice echo into the kitchen. He winced. He’d forgotten to let the cat out once all the doors were shut. \n\nSteve noticed Thor staring at him for a bit too long. He cocked a solo brow, offering a guarded stance as he crossed his arms over his chest. Thor had confessed his feelings to Steve a few months ago. Of course, that hadn’t changed anything as Steve stayed with Bucky, but Steve was certain from the look Thor was giving him that he wasn’t thinking the purest of thoughts. “So,” Steve began, clapping his hands together. “Who wants to play some video games and drink beer?”\n\n“Hell yeah!” Natasha said, running for the couch and jumping over it. “I call first dibs! Clint, grab me two beers!”\n\n“Two?” he stated incredulously. \n\n“Yes, baby, two!” \n\nEveryone cleared back into the living room; Thor lingered, but he followed Tony out finally. Steve turned around, facing down at the sink. He wanted to look up outside, [[see if he could find whatever Bucky saw]]…but part of him just wanted to [[go into the other room]] with his friends. \n\n

She tilted her head, her face dissapearing briefly to reveal a hollow skull before it flashed back again. Bucky gasped, feeling the cold water slip down his jaw. "He's gonna kill you." She smiled menacingly. "And you can't stop it."\n\n"What?" Bucky shifted, trying to sit up. "Who?"\n\nThe girl turned around, like she was checking to see if someone was there. She turned back, blinking. Her decaying lillypad slipped from her hair and fell to the shower stall's floor. "He loves you so much. It'll be so sad."\n\nPins and needles pressed into Bucky's skin. He stared at the girl with wild eyes. "Steve? Steve's gonna..." He couldn't even finish the sentence. "You're lying."\n\nThe girl reached out, cupping Bucky's cheek. Her hand was ice and Bucky couldn't remember what it felt like to have blood warm in his toes. "This is your only warning."\n\nHe blinked and she was gone. Bucky couldn't take this anymore. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest, he was soaked and shivering and he had a desperate need to tell Steve that everything they were suspecting was true... Bruce was right. Theory or not. Imprint or not. This girl was here and she was warning Bucky. \n\nGhost were real. Ghosts were very real and they were here... Someone was trying to kill them. Bucky refused to believe Steve would be that person. She'd never confirmed it. Everyone in this house loved each other in different ways. Which meant anyone was capable of killing him... The thought made him sob. They needed to leave.\n\nBucky ran from the room, whimpering along the hallway as the girl kept whispering in his ear, "He's gonna kill you, he's gonna kill you!"\n\nHe tumbled down the last few steps, scampering up and running into the living room.\n\n"Bucky!" Steve exclaimed. "Baby, are you okay? You're bleeding!"\n\nBucky looked down at himself. Water was still streaming down his body, blood fell from his face. "N-no. Steve, Steve that girl, she's not a girl. I saw her! She's a fuckin' ghost! I swear to fuckin' God, baby she's a fuckin' ghost!" He collapsed into Steve's arms, sobbing into his husband's shoulder. "She's real. Oh my God, she's real."\n\n"What?" Natasha gasped. "What the fuck kind of sick joke is this, Bucky?!"\n\n"IT'S NOT A JOKE!" Bucky screamed. "I FUCKIN' SAW HER!"\n\nSomething creaked above them, following by a loud shattering. \n\nClint grabbed Natasha, wrapping his arms around her as she gasped breathlessly into the air. \n\n"I'm calling the clops" Clint said. \n\n"We need to go," Bucky demanded. "We need to fuckin' go. She's trying to warn us! Someone's gonna kill us!"\n\nTony scoffed. "Or she's a sick little kid trying to freak you out."\n\n"Fuck you, Stark!" Bucky spat. Steve squeezed Bucky, probably in an attempt to calm him down.\n\n"Steve," Tony began. "Ghosts aren't real. Bucky's just scared. I think maybe we should just call it a night and everyone go to bed."\n\nSteve hovered there, staring at Bucky and then looking back to Tony. "Or maybe we should just all wait for the cops and then we can decide from there."\n\n"Why the FUCK can't we leave," Bucky growled. "Doll baby, please! Please don't do this to me! She bashed my head into the wall! Please don't do this!" He was tugging at Steve's arm, trying desperately to convince Steve. "Please, please, please, baby, PLEASE." \n\nSteve sighed, looking around. "We should protect ourselves. We can bunker down with bats in the parlor."\n\n"Bats against a ghost, Steve?" Clint quipped. "Seriously?"\n\n"We could get salt?" Natasha offered. "Always works on Supernatural. And we should clean up Bucky's head."\n\n"Fine," Steve said. "Salt and bats. I'm not takin' any chances in case someone's just fucking with us."\n\n"Okay, if we wanna play along with the girl's game, sure." Tony shrugged. "I don't have anything better to do anyway."\n\n"Tony," Steve pleaded. "Be nice."\n\nTony huffed, his nostrils flaring. "Whatever. Actually, what about someone checking out upstairs? The cops'll check it out sure, but why not just nip this in the bud now? It'll calm Bucky down and we can all get on with our night."\n\nBucky shook his head. "She's a ghost. I know what I saw."\n\n"Makeup is a very convincing tool, Bucky." Tony looked sympathetic. "Bruce, wanna look at his head?"\n\nBruce shrugged, sighing. "It's possible you also halucinated it. That head wound's pretty big."\n\n"You callin' me a liar, Banner?"\n\n"Bucky," Steve whispered. He kissed Bucky's face. Never before had Bucky been so angry at Steve. Steve was ignoring his fears. They were supposed to be in this together. Them against the world always and forever. Steve was picking Tony's side? The threat of someone he loved murdering him loomed over Bucky like a black cloud. Would Steve...?\n\n"Fine," Bucky said, pulling out of Steve's arms. "I know what I saw."\n\n"Of course," Steve said. "And when the cops get here, they'll find the girl and we can all put this behind us. It's been a bad night. Lot's of weird things."\n\n"Yeah," Bucky said. "Never thought I'd hear about you sucking face with Thor."\n\nSteve hissed, stepping back.\n\n"What?" Nat shouted. "Are you fucking serious, Steve?!"\n\nSteve shot a pleading look at Bucky, but Bucky just lifted his chin defiantly. If Steve wanted to play this game, Bucky wouldn't just roll over and take it. \n\n"It's not a big deal, I kissed him to get him to leave me alone! He was pissing me off."\n\n"And sucking face is rejection in what culture?" Tony asked. He crossed his arms, dissapointment in his face. \n\n"Oh come on!" Steve groaned as a clap of thunder rolled above. "I said I'd kiss him to tell him if I felt anything and I felt nothing! I didn't wanna start a scene."\n\n"No," Bruce said as he started cleaning off Bucky's wound. "You just threw your husband into a state of panic and probably are the direct cause of his injury."\n\n"What?"\n\nBucky grabbed Bruce's hand. "It's okay."\n\n"You think I'm the reason Bucky bashed his head in the bathroom?" Steve stepped forward, his face tight with anger. "You're no saint either, Tony! You wanna tell the class what you did last Christmas?"\n\nTony stood up, moving to face off with Steve. Their chests pressed together like two roosters ready to fight. "Really now? I asked you to keep that a secret!"\n\n"I'm confused," Clint said. "But uh, cops're on their way?"\n\nBruce cringed, but he kept bandaging up Bucky's head. "Steve, please don't."\n\n"You said you were on a business trip. Told Pepper your flight was delayed."\n\n"STEVE!" Bruce yelled. Bucky's eyes widened as he watched his friends devolve into a mud-slinging fest. Girl or no girl. Ghost or no ghost (Bucky knew it was a ghost), he wondered if this was all part of her plan. They were turning on each other, and it was Bucky's fault. \n\n"You were FUCKING Bruce!" Steve ignored Bruce's plea. "You share that with the class yet?"\n\n"Oh my God." Nat pressed a hand to her chest. "Are you serious?"\n\nTony looked to Bruce, his face full of guilt. Bucky couldn't find words for the soap opera playing in front of him. He was terrified, in pain and utterly guilty. \n\n"I kissed Thor to make him go away. You fucked Bruce because you're unfaithful. Now you wanna keep judging me?"\n\nA crack of thunder startled everyone. The anger and guilt left everyone's faces as they were reminded of the situation they were in. Bucky curled in on himself on the Lazyboy. He'd been frightened of dying, and instead of believing in Steve, he'd manipulated everyone in the room to turn on each other. \n\n"I think until this whole situation is resolved," Nat began, "that we should just...all...calm down." She looked around, her eyes wide. "We're scared. It's raining. A lot has obviously happened tonight. None of us are perfect. Let's just move on."\n\nBucky looked to Bruce. He looked like he wanted to cry. Tony was fixated on his feet. All the fight was knocked out of him. Steve looked embarassed too. \n\nSteve and Nat had gone off to geth baseball bats, salt and kitchen knives. Everyone had been handed one item. Bucky clung to his knife, pressing his thumb into the blade to be reminded of its cold bite. He wasn't defenseless. He felt hopeless, but defenseless? No. \n\nThey'd all cringe and whimper when something upstairs moved. A few doors opened and slammed shut. They could hear something heavy being thrown around. Bucky assumed it was a dresser. Now they were listening to someone jumping on a bed. \n\n"She's a kid," Clint finally said. "She's a kid and we're all just sitting here while she fucks with us."\n\n"She's not just a kid," Bucky whispered. "I swear." He squeezed his knife harder. \n\n"I'll go," Tony offered. "We can sit her down and deal with her before the cops even arrive."\n\n"Honestly at this point," Steve sighed, "I'd rather just wait for the police. What if she tries to fight one of us? She's a kid and that can get messy."\n\nBucky startled when he heard a knock at the front door. Instantly, the sounds from upstairs stopped. He closed his eyes, knowing that the cops wouldn't find a damn thing. She wasn't human. Why didn't anyone believe him? Worst of all, why didn't Steve believe him?\n\n[[greet the cop]]

“I’ll come with you, babe,” Steve said as he scooted behind Bucky to grab one of the flashlights. “Don’t want you out in the storm alone.”\n\nBucky nodded, looking to the flashlight in Steve’s hands. “Thanks, doll.” \n\nSteve offered a strained smile as he crossed the room to the kitchen archway. “Tony, you’ll make sure Bruce is taken care of?”\n\n“Of course,” Tony responded as if offended Steve even asked that question. \n\nRolling his eyes, Steve left with Bucky through the backdoor. The rain pounded around them. Steve knew the second he got off the porch he’d be soaked to the core from the rain.\n\nBucky didn’t hesitate. He jumped into the muddied yard and starting hollering for Pietro. \n\nSteve turned his flashlight on, moving toward the pond…where the girl was drown… His heart seemed to stumble back, as if trying to cling to the porch and the safety it provided. The rain covered Steve, soaking his clothes and chilling his temperature. He looked around the black night, pointing the flashlight down at the pond to make sure the cat hadn’t fallen in.\n\n“PIETRO!” Bucky shouted. “HERE KITTY!”\n\n“PIETRO!” Steve echoed, matching Bucky’s volume. “C’MON BOY!”\n\nSteve accidently slipped on the slick grass, his legs splashing into the pond. \n\nSomething felt like it was wrapping around his leg, but even despite the strange occurrences of the day, it was a pond, it was dark and it was raining. Of course his imagination was going to run wild. He tried to get out but whatever it was wrapped around his leg more and tugged. \n\n“B-Bucky!” Steve called. “BUCKY!”\n\nBucky was no where to be found. Steve couldn’t even hear his voice anymore.\n\nPanicked, Steve sloshed in the water, feeling the pull of whatever was holding him getting stronger, sliding up his leg. He thought of the girl and how she must have been so scared as her father held her under the cool water. Drowning was one of Steve’s biggest fears. The thought of opening your mouth to desperately gulp down air but be greeted with water? The burn in your lungs and the searing against your brain as everything slowly came to a halt in your body and you just…slipped away. \n\nDrowning was a long death, only subdued by the calmness that happened before death finally came to carry you away gently. \n\n“BUCKY!” Steve screamed, his waist now soaking from the pond’s water. “BUCKY, PLEASE!”\n\nThe tugging was around his waist, he pushed down, feeling something slimy and chilled to ice. Screaming, Steve looked down at the black water, flailing as he tried to get out of whatever had a hold on him.\n\n“STEVE!” Bucky called, running into the pond and tugging Steve back to the shore. \n\nSteve was panting heavily, staring at the pond as if the devil itself had come to visit him. His heart was in his throat as he fought heavily to keep his breathing under control. Drowning. The thought of drowning was terrifying, the blackness, and the loneliness that would creep down your spine and ensnare your senses. The fact that you could look up and see the sky above, know that air was just above your reach and you couldn’t grasp it!\n\n“Steve!” Bucky exclaimed. “Steve what the fuck, are you okay? Steve what happened?!”\n\n“I slipped,” Steve panted. “I sl-slipped and something grabbed me and holy shit Bucky!” Tears clouded his vision as he dropped his face into Bucky’s chest. “Bucky, I thought I was gonna drown!”\n\n“You’re not gonna drown,” Bucky reassured, petting Steve’s wet hair. “You’re safe doll. I got you. You’re safe now.”\n\nSteve’s body was trembling. His lungs fought against him, threatening to clamp down and pull all the air away from him until he felt just as alone and scared as a person drowning. He clung to Bucky, wrapping his legs and arms around his husband. “Bucky!” he wailed. “Bucky I was so scared! I couldn’t get out!” \n\n“You’re fine, Stevie,” Bucky cooed. “Nothin’s gonna hurt’chu.” \n\nSteve looked back at the water again, watching its black face, challenging Steve, staring him in the face and just begging for Steve to try to get near it again… \n\n“Felt like something was pulling me down,” Steve went on. “I swear it was like someone was in there.”\n\nBucky looked at the pond, his eyes rounding. Rain dropped from his brown bangs, getting into his eyes and tracing along his nose. “Let’s get you back inside. I found Pietro.”\n\n“Is he okay?” \n\n“He’s up in a tree. Gonna get him down.”\n\n“I can help.”\n\n“No, Stevie, you need to go upstairs and just wait for me.”\n\nSteve nodded, a violent tremor wracking through his body. “Y-yeah. Okay, baby.” \n\n[[Go and wait for Bucky to get Pietro down]]\n

Bucky pushed Steve onto the bed, slipping between his husband’s legs. “I’m gonna make love to you.” \n\nSteve hummed, biting at Bucky’s neck. “Please don’t be gentle.” \n\nBucky laughed, rocking into Steve. He could already see the outline of Steve’s cock through his sweatpants. “I know. You’re such a needy little boy.” \n\nSteve nipped Bucky’s neck again. Bucky could feel the curl of a smile. “I love you.” \n\nBucky lifted Steve’s hips, helping his husband out of his pants and briefs. He sucked a finger into his mouth before bringing it to Steve’s hole. “We don’t got any lube in here.”\n\n“S’fine,” Steve said, stretching against the bed. “S’not like we really have that much time anyway.” \n\n“Yeah.” Bucky circled Steve’s hole, pressing a finger inside. The sensation of Steve’s tight little hole grabbing him, pulling him in warmed Bucky’s body, pulling away his headache. His shoulders relaxed. He felt like he was melting into Steve. They were two bodies separated by some otherworldly force that really belonged as one. \n\n“More.”\n\n“You ain’t kiddin’.” Bucky laughed, pushing his finger in further. He circled it inside, letting it touch Steve deeply, like a bee finding the best pollen in a flower—gentle and reverent. “You do want it rough.” \n\n“I just need it out of my system.” Steve rocked his hips. He did the most gorgeous things with his lips when Bucky fingered him. Biting, sucking, getting them all red and pouted. Bucky could stare at Steve for eternity as long as Steve kept playing with his lips. “Eat me out.” \n\nBucky laughed again, a deep rumble that vibrated his whole body. That was his boy, needy, demanding and perfect. He worshipped Steve. He’d give him everything if he could—would die for him if it meant Steve could escape this damn house. \n\nBucky undid his pants. He yanked Steve at the knees and brought him to the edge of the bed. \n\nSteve wrapped his legs around his husband. “I love you.” \n\nThey kissed quickly before Bucky moved to kneel at the foot of the bed. “I love you too, punk.”\n\n“Mmm—God, just like that Buck, oh fuck yes just like that.” \n\nBucky was gentle at first, taking his time and taunting Steve with little kitten licks that pulled sinfully deep whimpers from Steve. Blood rushed in Bucky’s head, making him dizzy. He held onto Steve’s ass, pulling it apart as he pushed inside. \n\nSteve rocked his hips, getting saliva all over Bucky’s chin and his ass. Bucky listened to the sharp sounds of Steve’s breathing—his excited little gasps. Bucky took Steve’s cock into his fist, pumping slowly.\n\n“Oh fuck yes baby,” Steve rushed out, dropping his head back. “Oh fuck me.” \n\nBucky didn’t. He curled his tongue, slipping it back and forth like gentle ocean waves, never-ending and patient. Bucky feared they didn’t have that kind of time, but oh how badly he wanted to ruin his husband before they made love. \n\n“You ready?” Bucky asked. “We don’t have a lot of time.”\n\nSteve’s eyes flashed, something sorrowful, like a child learning that life isn’t forever—like losing a precious moment because time is a vicious snarled vine that suffocates everyone slowly. “Okay.” \n\n“I don’t want you to leave you to get lube.” Bucky stared at the ceiling, anguished. “We’re already risking it enough.” \n\n“Why are we?” Steve asked. He sounded so small, despite his large shoulders. “Risking?” \n\n“Because I’m scared.” \n\n“Okay,” Steve said. “I just—I just needed to make sure.”\n\n“Make sure what?”\n\n“That we were both scared.” \n\nBucky closed his eyes. He’d cry if he didn’t. Maybe he’d see a ghost if he didn’t… It wouldn’t surprise him anymore. “I wanna love to you—because I’m scared it may be the last time.”\n \nBucky heard the sharp sounds of sobs echo into the barren room. Bucky pulled Steve closer to the edge of the bed. \n\n“Please fuck me,” Steve begged, tears falling from his eyes. “I don’t wanna die without this.” \n\n“Steve…” Bucky was still for a long time. They both were. Bucky hated himself. This wasn’t how sex was supposed to be. This wasn’t how anything was supposed to be. They weren’t supposed to be so afraid they’d never feel the comfort of each other’s bodies again. They weren’t supposed to cry from sadness. Sex wasn’t supposed to be like this… \nBucky slipped inside. From the way Steve’s face scrunched, he knew it hurt him. Bucky hated hurting Steve… even if Steve liked a little pain. \n\nSteve smiled. That little smirk got Bucky breathing again as he pushed forward, burying himself inside Steve. They were doing this because if they didn’t—would they ever again? A goodbye? A last hurrah? Bucky wasn’t sure, but it felt good and he didn’t care. All he wanted was Steve. \n\nBucky rolled them further up the bed, nestling between Steve’s legs. He rocked into Steve slowly, kissing Steve’s chin, his neck and his nose. Bucky felt the tear tracks on his face when their heads bumped with each soft thrust. Their bodies barely made any sound as they slipped in and out of each other.\n \nThe bed creaked, a sad tune to fill the void that in the room. Their love wasn’t enough to make it better. It was a thought that shattered Bucky’s heart. \n\n“I love you,” Steve whispered against Bucky’s lips. “I’ll do everything I can to protect you.” \n\nBucky smiled, tracing Steve’s eyes. Such beautiful, marble eyes. “I know.” He tugged Steve closer, wrapping his arms around shoulders to dig his nails in. He listened to the soft gasp, felt the lips that pressed into his neck. “I’ll protect you too.” \n\nWould that it could be enough… \n\nBucky rolled over, leaning back as Steve sat up. He trailed his fingers along Steve’s abs and down his hips. He grabbed them, thumbing over the skin. “You’re so pretty, Stevie.” \n\nSteve smiled. “So’re you.” He rocked into Bucky, a slow dance with no real rhythm but their heartbeats. The moonlight sparkled off Steve’s pale skin. They looked like two ghosts in the light except for the tiny flush that gleamed on Steve’s skin. He looked like fresh pink petals in early morning fog. Beautiful. \n\nSteve let his cock slip against Bucky’s abs, hissing when his tip hit just right. They’d come like this. Steve always came when he was on top. \n\nBucky trailed his fingers down Steve’s back, dipping into the curve of his spine and squeezing his ass. He watched Steve like he didn’t know anything else existed. His eyes were drowning from the intensity he held in them—all for Steve. He felt like he was drowning. Love sloshed inside him like water and it took his breath away—Steve took his breath away. Steve, his perfect, stubborn, beautiful husband. Steve, who didn’t stay up past ten at night. Steve, who got charcoal on his face whenever he was drawing. Steve, God damn, Steve—Bucky loved him. Bucky loved him so much. \n\nSteve trembled, curving his spine. Bucky didn’t think he could get further inside, but he groaned, feeling Steve envelop him further. Steve leaned his head back, reaching out to balance himself. Bucky caught his fingers and laced them together. \n\n“I’m obsessed with you,” Bucky said. “I’m so utterly obsessed with you.”\n\nSteve smiled, nodding. He leaned forward, kissing Bucky’s forehead, his brows, his eyelids—he caressed his fingers over arms, nipples and abs. He rolled them to the side, sidling up close to give lazy kisses.\n\nKissing Steve was like kissing a crisp fall day with a cup of warm apple cider. It was unhurried, sweet and meaningful—inspiring. Kissing Steve meant Bucky was alive. \n\nThey were both crying silently by the time Bucky came. He didn’t cry out, he didn’t spew love-professions or even how much he loved Steve’s ass (and he loved Steve’s ass). They just cried and kissed. \n\nAnd kissed.\n\nSteve gasped, thrusting fast into his hand when he came. He whimpered into the kiss, clutching Bucky like the sky would swallow him up. Perhaps it would. Bucky’s eyes weren’t open. He didn’t have the foresight to take off his shirt, and now Steve’s come was wet against the cloth.\n\nThey spent more time kissing, stroking fingers over each other’s shoulders, tracing sensitive nipples and memorizing the landscape of each other. It felt like a goodbye. Maybe it was.\nBucky wasn’t sure which decisions would be the right ones. \n\n“We should stop.” Steve’s voice shattered the bubble Bucky worked so hard to lose himself in. The horrors of reality lurked in the shadows. Bucky opened his eyes, seeing a dark room with barren walls and a door that looked more menacing than it should. “They gave us enough time.” \n\nUntangling from each other had never been harder to do. Bucky found himself sobbing when Steve pulled away. \n\n“I’m right here.” Steve pulled down one of the curtains. “We’ve gotta clean up.” \n\n“What’re you doin’” Bucky asked. \n\nSteve looked to the curtain. “I’m too scared to go into the bathroom.” \n\nBucky nodded. “You’ve still got come in your ass.” \n\nSteve blushed. “Uh—I’ll use my briefs. I’ll just not wear any.” He got on the bed. “That okay?”\n\nBucky nodded, taking the briefs. He made the mess. He needed to clean it up. A shower would’ve been better, but no man in their right mind would use one of those now in this house. He stared out the window, looking at pond. “She died in there.”\n\nSteve nodded. “I know.” \n\n“Maybe we should—talk to her?” \n\n“You think she would?” \n\nBucky wasn’t sure. But he had [[to at least try]]. “Yeah. After I slip past the dead body in our room for a new shirt.”\n\nSteve laughed. “Get me new briefs then too.”\n\nBucky kissed Steve on the nose. “Anything for you.”\n

Steve guided Bucky into the guest room, gently lowering Bucky onto the bed. “Do we—should I?”\n\nBucky smiled. It’d be easy to make Steve [[roll over]] or he could [[spread his legs]]\n

Bucky tried to ignore the sound, reaching for the glovebox. Someone cleared their throat and Bucky nearly jumped out of his skin. He shrieked, smacking his hip on the horn and the car honked. \n\n“REALLY BARNES!” Tony shouted. \n\nBucky finally turned. He saw Bruce and Tony, tangled into each other and looking worse for wear. Tony’s outfit was shredded, like he’d tried to hug a tiger. Bruce had a bloody lip.\n“SORRY!”\n\n“Keep your voice down,” Tony whispered, looking out a corner of the car window and completely ignoring that he just shouted too. “They’re in there. The—the girl attacked us. We got seperated from Clint and Nat. Jesus that, that girl-thing though.”\n\n“I don’t think that’s her. I think that’s her body.” Bucky grabbed the rosary and slunk back out the car. “We’re out here.”\n\n“Oh gross, her body.” They followed Bucky out, everyone creeping back into the treeline. \n\n“You know it knows we’re here, right?” Bruce said. “It’s a ghost. It knows all its property.” \n\n“How do you know?” Tony asked. “You a ghost expert suddenly?”\n\n“Guys,” Steve cut in. “This ain’t the time.” \n\n“Oh sure, how about when the ghost is skinning our organs out with a cheese grater!” \n\nSteve rolled his eyes.\n\n“Tony!” Bucky snipped. “Okay, rosary. Do you guys have any salt?”\n\nThey shook their heads. \n\n“Damn.” Bucky shivered. His pants were freezing cold, soaking into his skin. He was sure his ankles were swelling. “Okay, what do we know so far?”\n\n“The dad went crazy and killed everyone,” Steve said. “That’s all.”\n\n“The mom’s still alive,” Tony said. “She’s in a psych ward.” \n\n“Do you think we could? I mean—talk to her?” Bucky asked. \n\n“Bucky,” Steve said sorrowfully. “This thing’s after us and it’s after us now.” \n\n“I'm in a horror movie,” Bruce said, wiping his eyes. “Jesus.” \n\n“So what do we do?” Bucky asked.\n\nSteve smirked, nodding. “Do you trust me?” \n\nBucky felt a cold pull in his stomach. He looked back at the house, then at Steve. The girl said… choices mattered and not to trust...someone. \n\n“What’re ya gonna do?” Bucky asked. \n\nSteve’s smile only widened. “Do you trust me?” \n\nBucky swallowed. Did he [[truly trust Steve]]? Or did[[he not?]]\n

“Okay,” Steve said, relinquishing any anger he had previously for Tony. “I’ll get him.” Steve was letting the whole situation grip him by the spine and yank him. He was on edge, Bucky was barely holding himself together and even Clint and Natasha looked like were about to shatter into a thousand pieces. “I’ll go get him and apologize,” Steve finished, leaning over to kiss Bucky on the forehead. “Okay?”\n\nBucky squeezed Steve’s hand but he didn’t take his gaze off the fireplace. “Okay,” he answered hoarsely. “Thank you, doll. But we should all go.”\n\nThey sat there in complete silence, everyone looking distantly off into some corner of the room. Steve kept his head against Bucky’s. He felt if he let up even the smallest bit that he’d fall into the sky and be swallowed by the blackness of the universe. “When’re the cops gonna be here,” Steve grumbled. \n\nBucky squeezed his hand. \n\n“It’s a bad night out. The roads are all muddy,” Nat replied. “They’ll get here.” She stood up, dusting off her pants. \n\n“I just wanna get Tony and leave,” Bucky sighed.\n\nSteve flinched, listening to someone running upstairs. “What’s that?” \n\n“Tony?” Clint offered. \n\n“We need to check,” Banner gasped. “Oh my God what if…”\n\nThey all stood up, running for the stairs. Steve gripped his bat a bit tighter. He didn’t know if a bat would do anything against whatever was in his house but it brought him a small semblance of comfort and he’d take it. \n\n“TONY!” Steve shouted. “I can’t see shit!”\n\n“Here,” Bucky said, pressing a lighter into Steve’s palm. \n\nSteve flicked the lighter on, holding it out in front of him. He reached the master bedroom and the door slammed on his face. “Tony?” Steve called, breathing faster, feeling his fingers turn to ice. “TONY!”\n\n“TONY, OPEN THE DOOR!” Clint called. He moved to shove his body against it but the door held. “Fuck. Tony!”\n\nThey all started shouting Tony’s name. Steve grit his teeth, rearing back and throwing all of his weight into the door to knock it from the hinges. The door groaned, falling away and tumbling to the side. \n\n“Tony!” Steve called, looking around.\n\n“Where?” Bucky asked, looking around the room. He ran into the bathroom. “Shit! He’s not here!” He turned around, coming to walk out of the bathroom when the doors slammed on him. Bucky’s voice erupted in screams as he pounded on the door.\n\n“BUCKY!” Steve yelled, leaping over the bed and slamming himself over and over into the bathroom door. The door wasn’t budging, not even groaning. “BUCKY! BUCKY HANG ON, BABY!” His whole body was on fire. He saw red. Vivid images of Bucky’s panicked face as tears ran down his cheeks. He saw blood, angry ghosts and his husband strung up and left for dead. His soul practically pulling from his body, willing the door to move and yet it wouldn’t.\n\n“STEVE! STEVE OH MY GOD, STEVE GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT!” Bucky shrieked, slamming himself on the other side of the door. “SHE’S IN HERE! SHE’S IN HERE, OH MY GOD!”\nClint, Bruce and Nat all came over, banging and kicking the door.\n\nScratching noises hissed against the door, Bucky’s screams became inaudible and broken. There was a scuffle on the other side of the door, but Steve couldn’t quite make out why. Tears were streaming down his face as he beat his shoulder blue, trying to get the door off.\n\n“Steve!” The dresser!” Natasha shouted as she started pulling drawers out of it.\n\nSteve ran over, grabbing one and throwing it as hard as he could against the door. The door finally snapped open. He reached in, grabbing the handle and pushing it open. “Bucky! Bucky, oh my God!” Steve ran over to Bucky, slumped on the floor with blood all over his face. He cupped Bucky’s cheek, seeing the scratch marks all over and around his eyes.\n \n“St-Steve,” Bucky whimpered, falling against Steve’s chest. “Steve, she wants to kill us, she’s gonna kill us! I don’t wanna die, I don’t wanna die, I don’t wanna die!”\n\nSteve wrapped himself around Bucky, sobbing into his shoulder. Nat kneeled before them, taking a washcloth and dabbing it against Bucky’s face.\n\n“Please, I don’t wanna die,” Bucky whimpered. “Please, please I don’t wanna die.” \n\n“You’re not gonna die, baby,” Steve cooed. “We’re gonna leave. The police are gonna be here and we’re gonna leave.”\n\n“Where’s Tony?” Bruce finally asked. “We need to find Tony.”\n\n“Shit,” Clint growled. “Fuck this. Fuck all of this!” He kicked the wall, over and over and over until Natasha came over and he collapsed into her arms, crying into her chest. She wrapped her arms around him, petting his hair.\n\n“We have to find Tony,” Bruce said again, more demanding this time. “WE HAVE TO FIND TONY!”\n\n“Okay!” Steve snapped. “Just…give me a FUCKING minute!” Steve was unraveling. His soul was snapping into a thousand pieces and all he wanted to do was give everything he had to his husband. Bucky was in shambles, both blood and tears streamed from his eyes as he wailed into Steve. Everyone was coming undone and Steve was doing no better than anyone else. This was real. \n\nThis was happening.\n\nTheir house was haunted and a ghost was trying to kill them.\n\n“We could go find him,” Natasha suggested. “Me n’ Clint can find Tony.”\n\n“No,” Bucky muttered. “We need to stick together.”\n\n“It doesn’t matter if we’re together or apart!” Bruce complained. “This thing wants us and it’ll do whatever it needs to do it!\n\n“We fucking STICK TOGETHER!” Bucky shrieked. He was breathing hard, desperate, like every moment may be the one where his lungs finally exploded. “We stick the fuck together.”\n“Okay,” Clint sighed. “But we do need to find Tony.”\n\n“Yes, please!” Bruce groaned exasperated. \n\nSomething started to creak slowly above them in the attic, slow, tender steps. They all looked up. Steve couldn’t stop the tears that slipped from his eyes. “Something’s in the attic.”\n\n“D’you think it’s Tony?” Clint asked. “It could be.”\n\n“Clint,” Natasha stated, grabbing his hand. “They have a drop ladder. If it was Tony the ladder would be down.”\n\n“We need to find Tony. Now,” Bruce threatened, his voice laced with commanding authority. \n\nSteve helped Bucky stand. His face was still smeared with blood but at least the wounds weren’t freely bleeding anymore. “Can you do this? Just till the police get here, baby.”\n\n“I don’t wanna die,” Bucky whispered. “Steve, I don’t want you to do.”\n\n“We’re not gonna die,” Steve promised. “We’re gonna make it out of here. We’re not giving up. Okay? We’re gonna fight. Together.”\n\nBucky nodded, swallowing thickly. “Let’s find Tony.”\n\nThey lit every candle they could find along the way to the drop ladder. Bucky stayed back with Natasha but Clint, Bruce and Steve were in the front. Steve reached up, slowly opening the slip door and bringing the ladder down. \n\n“I’ll go first?” Clint asked. \n\n“Okay, but I’m right behind you,” Bucky stated. “I’m not gonna let this thing control me.” \n\nSteve’s heart squeezed, swirling in his chest till it was dragged along the bottom of his stomach. Bucky was shaking and fear was etched so tightly against his eyes that Steve was afraid they’d shatter. “You don’t have to do this. You can wait with Nat.”\n\n“I’m not gonna roll over. Not anymore,” Bucky growled. He brushed by Natasha and waited for Clint before he started to climb up the ladder, Steve right behind him. He flicked on his lighter as the group moved about the attic. \n\nIt was dusty and smelled faintly of rotting wood but what stood out the most was a chair with the form of a man on it. \n\n“Tony?” Clint asked. “Shit it’s a mess.”\n\nSteve’s heart was hammering in his chest. All he could think about was that girl and what she’d done to Bucky’s eyes, the feeling of being watched and now Tony missing. He squeezed Bucky’s hand, staying close to him for light.\n\nBucky squeezed Steve’s hand right back, pulling him closer. “You’re okay,” he soothed. “That thing isn’t getting us again.”\n\n“I’m still scared,” Steve admitted.\n\n“Hey wait. Tony! What’re you doing?” Clint called.\n\nTony was sitting on an old discarded chair. One that looked like it’d been here since the house was built. His back was to them but otherwise they could tell it was Tony. \n\n“Tony!” Clint called again. “This shit isn’t funny, man!”\n\n“Wait a second,” Natasha said, taking a step closer. “This isn’t right.”\n\n“Fuck this!” Clint commiserated. He ran over to Tony, flashing the light right into his face. He dropped to his knees screaming and stumbling back.\n\nBruce ran up to Clint to catch him and investigate. Even in the darkness, Steve could see his face go sheet white.\n\nNat gasped. \n\nSteve and Bucky squeezed each other tighter, Bucky burying his face in Steve’s shoulder. \n\n“Oh my God,” Bruce breathed out. “Tony! Tony… Oh no, no no.” Bruce dropped to his knees in front of Tony, dropping his head on the man’s knee. “No! Tony! Tony! TONY!”\n\n“Dude,” Clint sobbed, trying to pull Bruce back. “D-dude he’s dead.”\n\n“What!” Steve screamed. He jogged over. Even with the soft light of the lighter he could see the gory mess that seeped from Tony’s chest. His body was shiny and stained a deep red that looked black in the soft light. “Oh my God,” Steve whispered, tears flooding his eyes. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.”\n\n“Was it that girl?” Natasha asked shakily. “Holy fuck, we shouldn’t have let him go!” She stumbled back, pressing her hand to her chest. “We have to think…rationally. We…” She swallowed hard again, a sob escaping her lips. “Oh my God. Are we gonna die?”\n\nSteve felt numb. His fingers tingled, his face felt like someone had a bag over it. Tony was dead. Tony was dead. Tony was dead. That was Tony and he was dead. His eyes were open wide with a look that only could be best described as terror and his mouth hung open. Blood was all over his chest, soaking his shirt. A ghost had attacked Bucky, scratched at his eyes and Steve wasn’t sure what would have happened if he hadn’t bludgeoned the door down. Tony was dead.\n\n“Why is this happening to us?!” Bruce wailed. He was holding Tony’s lifeless hand. He sobbed loudly. Even from here, Steve could practically hear the man’s heart breaking. He knew how Bruce felt about Tony. They’d never gotten to the dating part, but Steve swore up and down they would have if…\n\n“Oh my God,” Steve whispered. \n\nClint just stared lifelessly at Tony’s body, his eyes dry but not uncaring. He was in shock. \n\n“Clint,” Steve rasped. “We’ve gotta take his body downstairs.” \n\n“TONY!” Bruce wailed. He sobbed heavily, squeezing Tony’s hand and dropping his forehead against it. “Tony I’m so sorry!”\n\n“Bruce,” Natasha said gently, moving from Clint to drape her arms around Bruce. “Shh, Bruce, this isn’t your fault.”\n\n“I yelled at him,” Steve stated. “I yelled at him and– and that was the last thing I said.” \n\nBucky pulled Steve into a hug, cupping the back of his head. “Shh, doll. He knew you didn’t hate him.” \n\n“I’m the reason he’s dead,” Steve concluded. “This is all my fault.”\n\n“No,” Natasha said, moving to put a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “You didn’t do this.”\n\nGuilt was a heavy burden. It weighed at Steve’s heart, chaining with thick, rusted links that tugged at the muscle, slipping it against his sternum until it was sliding into his intestines. He swallowed thickly, unable to look away from Tony’s body. “I’m so sorry, Bruce.”\n\nBruce hadn’t moved. He cried into Tony’s leg, darkening the fabric with his tears. “S’not y-you’re fault. It’s this house,” Bruce hissed. “We can’t leave his body here.”\n\n“We can’t stay either!” Bucky shot back. “We have to go. We can come back when the police find us.”\n\n[[Get out of the house]]\n

“Honestly, Clint…” Steve said shrugging. “No. No I don’t wanna know. People died. I want to give them the respect of letting them rest in peace. I don’t want to intrude in their business.”\n\n“But,” Clint said, wincing his eyes in confusion. “They’re dead…”\n\nSteve laughed, nudging his elbow playfully into Clint’s chest. “It’s just how I feel.” Steve’s face brightened; curling the corners of his lips into a smile as he saw a box of light bulbs. “Oh hey! Lookie here!” He picked them up, shaking them softly. “Time to screw these babies in, huh?”\n\nClint huffed a soft laugh. “You and screwing.”\n\n“You and always commenting on my sex life,” Steve retorted in a singsong tone. “Do you want in my pants, Clint?”\n\nClint’s eyes practically bulged from his face. “N-no! Shit, Rogers! Have you seen my wife?!”\n\nSteve laughed, heading toward the staircase. They ascended the stairs, turning the corner and bringing the bulbs into the kitchen. Bucky was condensing all the boxes into one; breaking them down with ease. Steve held up the box with a proud, soft smile playing at his lips. “Let there be light!”\n\nBucky snorted. “You think you’re so cute!” He walked over to Steve, pressing his hands against Steve’s cheeks and kissing his lips a few times; uttering loud, obnoxious smacking sounds intentionally. \n\n“I hate these two,” Tony said as he reclined at the breakfast nook. “They make me wanna vomit.” \n\n“Ah you’re just jealous, Tony,” Bucky said as he leaned against the sink. “That’s about it for now yeah? We can finish up the other rooms tomorrow.” He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and slipped one out into his hand, fingering it gently. “Imma go smoke. Wanna come outside with me, doll?”\n\nSteve followed. “Hey, tell Banner when he’s done with the bathroom that he doesn’t have to do anything else,” Steve said as he passed by Tony and Clint. \n\nSteve stood on the back of the porch, looking down at the pond. The sky was almost dark and there was a light mist hovering uncertainly over the pond. “That’s gonna freak me out a lot,” he stated, nodding in the pond’s direction. \n\nBucky took a long drag off his cigarette. “You’ll get used to it. It’s just temperate differences.” \n\nSteve pressed his face into Bucky’s shoulder. “Bucky,” he whined. \n\n“What, ya weirdo?” He blew the smoke out, careful not to hit Steve in the face with it. \n\n“I can’t believe we own a house,” Steve mumbled as he kissed softly at Bucky’s neck. \n\n“Mmmm,” Bucky hummed. “I can’t believe I get to make love with you in our own house.” \n\nSteve snorted, rolling his eyes. “I knew you’ve been checking me out all day.”\n \nBucky shrugged, cracking a shameless smirk on his face. “I’m horny! Sorry, watching you lifting shit and sweating just got me all…” He sighed before taking another drag from the cigarette. "Hot n' bothered."\n\nSteve smiled triumphantly, grabbing Bucky’s hand and bringing toward the seam of his jeans. “Maybe I’m a little horny too…” \n\nBucky’s eyes widened as he felt Steve’s stiffening cock. “Right now?”\n\nSteve pursed his lips, “Ehhhhh, later. Gotta feed those hooligans first. Pizza? Chinese?”\n\n“Oh, shit no. Pizza please. I’m not dealing with Tony’s Chinese elitist attitude. Guy spent a fucking quarter in China and now he thinks he’s an expert.” \n\nSteve laughed, moving in to press a kiss against Bucky’s earlobe. “You done with your cancerstick yet?”\n\nBucky looked down at the dwindling cigarette, pressing his lips together. “Yeah, it’s almost at the butt anyway.” He flicked it into the yard. \n\n“Bucky! This is our home! Don’t litter it up!” Steve chastised lightly. He wrapped his arms around one of Bucky’s. \n\n“Okay, okay! I’ll get it in the morning.” \n\nAs they were about to walk back inside, an icy breeze caressed against their skin, forcing them to shiver violently. “Hurry, get inside,” Steve said as he swatted at Bucky’s ass lightly. \n\nBucky yelped but opened the door. “After you, punk.” \n\nSteve looked back at the pond for one more brief moment, seeing that murky mist; it almost looked like there was a figure hovering in it. He turned to duck inside. When they went back in, Natasha was handing out various cases of beer and holding a large bottle of pinot for herself. She smiled over at Steve and Bucky. “Hey, I got you two some Strongbow!” \n\n“Ah, hey!” Bucky celebrated. “Thanks, Nat!” He walked into the family room and twisted open one of the bottles. \n\nSteve watched in a mild trance as Bucky lifted the bottle to his lips, licking at the mouth of the bottle softly before engulfing it and chugging down the golden liquid. Steve’s lips parted as his cock throbbed in his pants. \n\n“Steve…” Bucky warned. “Why don’t you uh…change your pants…” \n\nEveryone looked over to Steve. “Oh, sir,” Tony said, attempting to supress a giggle. “I do believe that’s an erection in your pants…” \n\nSteve felt heat burst into his face as he looked down. “Ah fucking hell. It’s Bucky’s fault!”\n\n“Oh don’t we know it,” Bruce said from his lounged position in the plush recliner. \n\nSteve walked briskly out of the room, glaring at Bucky as he walked into the foyer and circled up the stairs. He attempted to flick the light switch but nothing happened. “Ah shit…” They’d forgotten to install the light bulbs up here. Tracing his fingers along the wall, Steve made his way down into the master suite. He turned on the light, jumping as he saw Pietro dart from the bathroom and under the bed. “The fuck, cat?” \n\nHe walked over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of sweats. \n\n“Hey, Steve?” Bucky called as he leaned against the bedroom door. \n\nSteve turned, raising a brow as he analyzed his husband’s face. Bucky’s lips were lightly red from sucking back his cider; glistening from the liquid. His eyes were intense as he stared with large pupils over at Steve. “Just seeing you get so hard for me makes me wanna show you how much I love you.” Bucky walked into the room, sauntering up to Steve and pressing soft, suggestive kisses against Steve’s jawline. \n\n“Mmm, Buck we don−”\n\n“But I wanna,” Bucky breathed back as he started to undo Steve’s jeans. “I just wanna suck you off, doll. We can go back down after.” \n\nSteve licked at his lips, feeling his pulse quicken. [[They could do this]]… Or Steve could [[make Bucky wait]] till later…\n

Bucky looked between Clint, Nat, Tony and Bruce. His mouth stammered, words caught in the back of his throat. \n\n"What if we choose no one?" Steve asked.\n\n"You'll all die. I'm being merciful right now." \n\n"Can we talk to them? Whisper who'll go?" Bucky asked. \n\nThe shadow gestured forward and Bucky assumed that was consent. He huddled up with his friends, grabbing Clint's trembling hands. "No one is dying."\n\n"That thing is asking for someone to die!" Clint said.\n\n"Hush!" Natasha scolded. "What's the plan?"\n\n"Can you figure out what to do, Bruce? If we give you some time?" \n\nBruce looked around their huddle, licking his lips anxiously. Bucky always wondered if the price of such genius came with so many insecurities. Bruce was always afraid of his own shadow. "I think so, yeah."\n\n"We're gonna choose you two then," Bucky said, pointing at Natasha and Clint.\n\n"What?!"\n\n"Clint! Stop it!" Natasha stomped on his foot. \n\n"We'll have a long dramatic good bye scene with you two, full of hugs and questions. That should give Bruce enough time to get into the house and do his thing."\n\n"Right," Bruce said, looking at Tony. "You're coming with me?"\n\n"Of course." Tony shrugged. "And if this fails, we all die. Good deal."\n\n"We can do this," Steve said. "I know we can." \n\nThey mmoved away, Bruce and Tony keeping back.\n\n"We've made a decision," Bucky said. "But I need to know something first."\n\n"What?" the shadow asked. It shimmered slightly, like black water catching the moonlight. \n\n"Why lovers?"\n\nThe shadow moved forward. "More power." It turned to Clint and Natasha, pointing. "It's best if you two kill each other."\n\n"I ain't doin' that," Clint said. \n\n"Then she will kill you," the shadow said, "or I will end all of you, slowly." \n\n"But then we're not as strong?" Steve asked. "Right? You want lovers because the power, but it's better if they kill each other. So you want that power from them killing each other."\n\nThe shadow twitched, moving toward Steve. "If you do not wrap your hands around James' throat, I will see to it he be tortured for eternity." \n\nBucky blinked, looking at Steve. They both shared a momenot of panic, looking back at the house. Bucky prayed that whatever Bruce was doing, he was doing it fast. Bucky moved in front of Steve, nodding. "Do it."\n\n"What?"\n\n"Wrap your hands around my throat." \n\n"Wait, what?" Natasha said, her eyes wide. "This isn't okay! What're you doing, Bucky?!"\n\n"Just wrap your hands around my throat." Bucky looked up at Steve, determination and trust clear in his eyes. He trusted Bruce to complete whatever he was doing.\n\n"Now squeeze," the shadow said when Steve wrapped his fingers around Bucky's throat.\n\nBucky felt his throat burn first. He struggled to breathe, trying to hold onto life for as long as he could. Tears pushed from his eyes, and he reached up, grabbing Steve's wrists. Steve was openly crying, shaking his head.\n\nBucky nodded, choking.\n\nSomeone screamed before he blacked out. He wasn't sure if it was Natasha or something else. It didn't sound quite human. The world went bright with a brilliant flash and then blackness stained Bucky's eyes.\n\n--\n\nGrasshoppers. \n\nThat’s the first sound Bucky heard when he realized the world was quiet and he was still alive. He blinked, looking around. The ghostly images were gone, the demon was gone, a smoking pile of red glowing rock at his feet. “Oh…” \n\n“Bruce did it,” Steve said. “That sonuvabitch.” \n\nTony and Bruce came out, whooping and hollering. They ran to everyone, enveloping them in big hugs. \n\nBucky had never felt so light. Laughter escaped him like a geyser. He couldn’t stop. Tears streamed from his eyes, his limbs were jelly, but his lungs wouldn’t stop chuckling. He grabbed Steve, pulling his lover into him. They fell to the ground, rolling and kissing each other. Tongues sloshed into mouths, teeth accidently nipped lips, it was a terrible kiss—it was a perfect kiss.\n\n“I love you,” Bucky whispered. “You beautiful, beautiful idiot.” \n\n“I love you.” Steve nipped Bucky’s nose. “You self-sacrificing jerk.” \n\n“Jesus that was close,” Clint said, collapsing to the ground. \n\n“We can all thank me for knowing a single word in Sanskrit,” Tony said, dusting his shoulders off for show. “It’s on the logo for a beer I like—Khajurako. They’ve sometimes got Sanskrit on their labels.” \n\n“And the word was?” Steve asked, running his fingers through Bucky’s hair, he didn’t look away from Bucky. \n\n“Upside down.” Tony plopped on the ground, cupping his chin in his hand. “Random right?” \n\n“Except we remember the room in the basement and how the door was actually hinged upside down.” \n\n“It was?” Steve asked. He playfully punched Bucky. “See! I told you we needed to go in there!” \n\nBucky rolled his eyes. \n\n“So, what happened?” Bucky asked. \n\n“We had to put the book upside down.” Bruce laughed. “Stupid easy, right? The demon was summoned. That’s how it was sent back.” \n\n“Who summoned it?” Natasha's face screwed up. “Who’d be that stupid!”\n\n“That’d be good ol’ crazy momma—the survivor of this fucked up ghost story.” Tony shrugged. “I found a diary in the basement and started reading it while Bruce was panicking about you two dying.” He poked Natasha in the rib cage.\n\n“So glad you were worried,” Natasha teased. She flicked Tony for added effect. \n\n“She got jealous of her daughter. Her husband was spending a lot of time with her, teaching her sports and the usual dad stuff.” Bruce bit his lip. “I thought for a moment it’d be a creepy abusive thing, but it was just a man being a good dad and she for some reason resented that.” \n\n“Wow,” Bucky said. What mother would be upset that her husband was doing a good job at raising a child? Sure, she had to split his attentions but, surely a good father was a…thing people wanted? He looked to Steve, curious how they’d adapt once they had kids.\n \n“So hotel?” Tony asked.\n\nEveryone agreed. They helped Steve into one of the cars, looked around for Pietro (they found him under the porch, perfectly fine) and then they left.\n\nBucky would never return to that house again. It didn’t matter that it was all over. It happened, and he didn’t want to relive it again. \n\nSteve and Bucky eventually relocated to Brooklyn. They didn’t mind the overpriced living. They also made sure no strange murders happened in their new brownstone. \n\nTony and Bruce eventually went public with their relationship. It was a messy breakup with Pepper, but they were adults. No one would judge them for how they handled it.\n\nClint and Natasha had their first child that year. She'd been pregnant all along during that fateful night. She'd never said a word of it. Never made an excuse. She was brave as brave could be. \n\nThey always get together on the anniversary of that night. Far, far away from Upstate New York, far away from white Victorian houses...\n\nFar away from creepy demons hiding in cellars. \n\nEND (Congrats! You find a good ending! You can restart for an entire new experience if you'd like! Please don’t forget to leave a comment or a kudo for the fic on archiveofourown.)\n

“Be careful, doll,” Bucky instructed, brows pulling together. “And don’t break the door too much.”\n\nSteve laughed dryly before lunging into the door. The handle broke off and Steve was able to reach inside and pull it open. “Oh my God! Bucky, help!”\n\nBucky ran in behind Steve, seeing Clint trying to pull himself away from the full tub. Water sloshed around the bathroom but no matter how much Clint tugged it seemed that something was holding him down. \n\nSteve went to one side, dipping his hands in and trying to pull Clint up. “W- I can’t! Something’s…something’s wrong!”\n\nBucky jumped into the bathtub, kneeling and pushing Clint up from the underside as his body started to slow from lack of oxygen. Bucky pulled him up, listening to the gurgling and choking. \n“Nat!” Steve called. “Nat come now!”\n\nBucky scrambled from the tub, body soaked as he patted against Clint’s back to help him cough the water out. \n\n“Oh my God!” Natasha exclaimed, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. “What happened?!” \n\n“Dunno,” Steve replied, rubbing a hand up and down Clint’s arm. “What happened, Clint?”\n\nBucky was breathing erratically. He didn’t believe in ghosts but today was giving him reason to make him consider it. He looked back at the tub, watching the water slosh lazily as it settled. He reached in, yanking the chain out and let it drain. \n\n“I was taking a leak,” Clint explained raggedly. He coughed again. “Suddenly the tub was full and I was being shoved into it. God, I thought I was gonna die.”\n \n“Steve,” Bucky breathed out. “The man in the shower.”\n\n“What?” Clint gasped before coughing again. Natasha slipped into the room, blanketing her arms around Clint and pulling his head to her chest.\n \nSteve moved out into the hall to accommodate for the amount of bodies. “Bucky said someone was in the shower with him.”\n\n“What? And you didn’t see?” Natasha asked, her eyes narrowed, mouth open. She stroked her fingers though Clint’s wet hair, flicking water droplets off the spikes.\n\n“They blew the candle out,” Bucky explained. “He was freezing. I thought it was Steve.” \n\nNat nodded, pushing her tongue against the inside of her cheek. \n\n“I really don’t wanna be ya’know, that guy, but I’m gonna be that guy,” Clint said. “I think this house is haunted.”\n\nHearing it out loud and from someone else’s mouth made Bucky press himself against the wall, gasping. Ghosts… spirits. Otherworldly beings. He hated horror movies because there was no control over the outcome. If a ghost wanted you dead, you died. His nerves chilled, stilling his body as he looked up to Steve, waiting for him to respond. \n\nSteve stood there, licking his lips as he softly shook his head from side to side. “We gotta talk to Bruce and Tony.” \n\n[[Go talk to Bruce and Tony]]\n

Bucky turned, following the soft creaking. He saw Bruce and Tony, tangled into each other and looking worse for wear. Tony’s outfit was shredded, like he’d tried to hug a tiger. Bruce had a bloody lip.\n\n“What the fuck?”\n\n“Keep your voice down,” Tony whispered, looking out a corner of the car window. “They’re in there. The—the girl attacked us. Dunno where Clint or Nat are.”\n\n“I don’t think that’s her. I think that’s her body.” Bucky grabbed the rosary and slunk back out the car. “We’re out here.”\n\n“Oh gross, her body.” They followed Bucky out, everyone creeping back into the treeline. \n\n“You know it knows we’re here, right?” Bruce said. “It’s a ghost. It knows all its property.” \n\n“How do you know?” Tony asked. “You a ghost expert suddenly?”\n\n“Guys,” Steve cut in. “This ain’t the time.” \n\n“Oh sure, how about when the ghost is skinning our organs out with a cheese grater!” \n\nSteve rolled his eyes.\n\n“Tony!” Bucky snipped. “Okay, rosary. Do you guys have any salt?”\n\nThey shook their heads. \n\n“Damn.” Bucky shivered. His pants were freezing cold, soaking into his skin. He was sure his ankles were swelling. “Okay, what do we know so far?”\n\n“The dad went crazy and killed everyone,” Steve said. “That’s all.”\n\n“The mom’s still alive,” Tony said. “She’s in a psych ward.” \n\n“Do you think we could? I mean—talk to her?” Bucky asked. \n\n“Bucky,” Steve said sorrowfully. “This thing’s after us and it’s after us now.” \n\n“It almost killed us,” Bruce said, wiping his eyes. “Jesus.” \n\n“So what do we do?” Bucky asked.\n\nSteve smirked, nodding. “Do you trust me?” \n\nBucky felt a cold pull in his stomach. He looked back at the house, then at Steve. He’d trusted him this far, even if it was a bumpy decision. He was alive because he did. But the girl said… choices mattered. \n\n“What’re ya gonna do?” Bucky asked. \n\nSteve’s smile only widened. “Do you trust me?” \n\nBucky swallowed. Did he [[truly trust Steve]]? Or did [[he not?]]\n

Steve drew in a deep breath. He walked into the kitchen, looking to the breakfast nook and finding the doll to be indeed gone. He chewed at his bottom lip, knitting his brow. “Okay, that's weird.”\n\n“What if someone’s in the house?” Tony asked over his shoulder. “We’ve had these doors open all day, Steve.”\n\nBucky groaned. “Are you fucking kidding me? What kind of person does this shit?” he spat. He grabbed at the table, his knuckles going white. Steve watched with a cautious gaze as Bucky’s shoulders heaved up and down. Natasha caressed his back to console him.\n\n“We’ll just look through the house. Check every room. I’ll get some flashlights,” Steve said. He walked over to the hall closet, pulling out a box with “Misc Shit” scrawled onto it. Opening the box, Steve pulled out a couple flashlights, jumping a bit as thunder cracked over the house and shook the windows.\n\n“You doin’ okay, Bruce?” Steve asked as he walked through the living room.\n\n“Oh yeah… Just questioning reality. No biggie.”\n\nSteve laughed, nodding as he leaned against the kitchen archway. “Me and Buck’ll take the rooms upstairs. Clint and Nat, you wanna check the basement?”\n\n“Oh fuck no!” Clint protested. “I refuse.”\n\n“Fine. Me n’ Bucky’ll do it. You take upstairs. Remember, the hall lights don’t work up there…”\n\nClint breathed out a sigh of relief. “Just need a flashlight then.” Steve looked over to Bucky. His eyes were shadowed and his lips were pressed into a thin line, but he didn’t protest. He looked more angry than scared at this point. This was their home after all, and someone was threatening it. Or something... Steve wasn't one to believe in ghosts but things were happening that he couldn't explain. He wanted to be logical about this, but something made him wary. Disbelief but acceptence was different than outright refusal to believe. Steve didn't believe in ghosts, but if something convinced him otherwise, then he'd start.\n\n“Tony, do you mind checking out around here?” Steve turned to call over his shoulder. “Bruce! Can you walk?”\n\n“Yeah, I’ll help Tony,” Bruce called as he started to slowly stand. Tony jogged into the living room, helping Bruce stand.\n\n“I can check out around here, man,” Tony said softly. “You don’t have to do this.”\n\n“Tony, I’m fine. I just needed to warm up.” Bruce swatted Tony’s hands from his shoulders. “Just give me a flashlight.”\n\nSteve tossed one over. “We’ve all got phones right? If we’re out of earshot, use them if needed. I think we’re dealing with kids though, so we should just confront them gently.”\n\n“What about outside?” Bucky asked. “Should someone check around the yard?”\n\n“It’s pouring out,” Natasha added.\n\nBucky sighed, looking over his shoulder at the window above the sink. “Yeah but…I heard a kid out there. What if they’re locked out of their house or somethin’? And I haven't seen Pietro either.”\n\n"Shit," Tony sighed. "So someone's going outside?"\n\n“After we’re done in the basement we’ll go out, k Buck?” Steve asked, offering a sympathetic smile. \n\nBucky nodded. “Yeah.”\n\nThe group split up, going their separate ways. Tony turned all the lights on in each room he went into, using his flashlight to look into the closets. Steve and Bucky made their way into the basement.\n\n“Fuck,” Bucky hissed out. “Light’s busted…”\n\n“It was flickering earlier,” Steve said. “Think a wire’s bad.”\n\nThey traveled down the stairs slowly. Steve had a hand on Bucky’s shoulder for additional balance. Though, he wouldn’t be lying if he said feeling his husband’s warmth wasn’t also a comfort as they descended into the chilly basement. Steve followed the light from Bucky’s flashlight as he flicked it around the cluttered room.\n\n“I guess we can’t just say it’s all clear?” Bucky asked sarcastically.\n\n“No. We’ve gotta take a real look around,” Steve answered, hating it just as much as Bucky did. He combed the shelves, using his flashlight to look at the various objects strewn about. His heart shot up into his throat when he came across a spider web that had cast a ghostly image behind it. “I’m such a spaz,” he breathed out, laughing lightly.\n\n“What?” Bucky asked from the other side of the room.\n\n“Nothing. Just a spider web.”\n\n“That’s my husband. So brave,” Bucky teased.\n\n“I remember when me and my husband were kids and he decided to get himself locked in a closet and cried for hours afterwards…” Steve chimed.\n\n“I was seven!” Bucky shouted through a laugh. “Hey, wait.”\n\nSteve’s blood chilled as he snapped his flashlight over to Bucky’s form. He watched with round, frightened eyes as Bucky walked forward slowly.\n\n“This is the room Bruce was in right?”\n\n“Yeah,” Steve responded tightly. A shiver ran down his spine as he thought back on how terrified Bruce had looked. Bruce was a smart guy. Logic was his business as a scientist. Men like Bruce didn’t spook easily.\n\n“He couldn’t have gotten in here,” Bucky said as he walked closer to the door.\n\n“Why not?” Steve asked. It felt like spiders were skittering up and down his back. He couldn’t shake the heavy feeling of being watched. He didn't want to back up in fear of bumping into someone's chest but he was too scared to turn around and check.\n\n“The door’s sealed into the wall, Steve,” Bucky responded as he looked back over his shoulder. “It’s impossible to open.”\n\n“Bruce said someone pulled him into that room,” Steve responded. A ringing sound echoed in his ears, making his head start to throb. He shifted his shoulder blades, trying to cease the feeling of something crawling on him.\n\n“Well, this is the only door down here, doll, and it ain’t openin',” Bucky responded flatly.\n\n“I wanna go back upstairs, Buck,” Steve said tensely. “There’s nothing down here.”\n\n“Steve…” Bucky said cautiously. He starched inching over toward Steve.\n\n“W-what?” Steve cried. “Bucky, what?”\n\n“You’ve got…” Bucky’s eyes rounded; the light from Steve’s flashlight bounced off his azure eyes.\n\nSteve felt his heart chill. “Bucky, what!” he shouted.\n\nBucky lunged at him, laughing wildly as he started tickling at Steve’s abdomen. “You’ve got an obnoxious husband on you!” Bucky called out.\n\nSteve dropped his flashlight. “I hate you!” he exclaimed. “I want a divorce!” He grabbed at Bucky’s wrists, laughing freely as Bucky planted several kisses against his jaw.\n\n“Sorry, doll,” Bucky breathed. “I’m a shit. I know.”\n\n“The worst kind,” Steve added. “Jesus, Buck…don’t fucking do that.”\n\n“C’mon, let’s go back up.”\n\nSteve bent down to pick up his flashlight. The beam caused dancing shadows to display against the wall. For a brief moment, Steve swore he saw a boy’s face, dark with large, black hallow eyes. He stared at the wall, peering as hard as he could at it, his mind determined to make sure he'd just been seeing things.\n\n“What?” Bucky asked as he tugged at Steve’s other wrist. “Let’s go check outside.”\n\n“I just…” Steve said as he stepped forward, touching the wall. “I think I’m freaking myself out.”\n\n“No shit,” Bucky responded bluntly.\n\nTogether, they ascended the stairs. Steve still couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched.\n\n[[Check on Tony and Bruce first]]\n

They looked around the front yard, Bucky stuck to the hedges while Steve ventured around the cars. The sky was flashing lightning, and the only things around were trees, a few random boxes that didn't have much inside, and the cars. “Check under the cars with me, baby?” Steve pointed to the cars, brows raised. \n\nBucky looked under the cars while Steve walked around them, peeking in boxes and scanning the trees. No one seemed to be out here. Steve couldn't shake that feeling of fingers pressing against his skin, pulling it and prodding. He looked up into the trees. Their branches crowded the night sky, almost like they were trying to shield the earth below. The rain still soaked into Steve's skin. He sighed, returning to his investigations. \n\n“Nothing,” Bucky said. \n\n“Yeah. Maybe she ran home,” Steve put his hands on his hips, “it’s getting late for kids to be out, right?”\n\nBucky shrugged. “As if you n’ I ever listened to curfews.” He grabbed Steve’s arm, pushing him against Natasha’s car. “God, I could take you right here, right now.” \n\nSteve’s eyebrows raised. He let out the softest gasp, tilting his head so Bucky could kiss down his throat roughly. “Ugh, fuck that’d be nice. Today's been fucking weird.” \n\n“Wanna?” Bucky asked, his hands already moving to undo Steve’s pants. “Quick n’ dirty. Be like high school again at your football games.” \n\nSteve looked back at the house. Everyone else was with Bruce now and they really should be too. While he was pretty sure the girl went home, he really did want this. He just needed to forget about everything strange for just five minutes. They had time for a [[quick n' dirty one]]. Or they could just [[go back to Bruce]].

Bucky whimpered. He felt foolish, listening to a ghost over his own husband. He shook his head, stepping back. “I don’t—trust that.” \n\nSteve narrowed his eyes. “Trust my idea or me?” He crossed his arms. Bucky could see the flush of anger creeping up his neck.\n\n“I’m sorry…”\n\n“Are you fucking kidding me, Bucky?” Steve looked up as something banged on the wall. “Fine. I’m gone then.” \n\n“Wait!” Bucky leapt forward, grabbing Steve’s arm. “I’m just scared.” \n\nSteve scrutinized him with his gaze, disappointment so clear Bucky could drink it. The worst thing in life was disappointing Steve Rogers. \n\nThe footsteps were getting closer. Bucky whined, looking at the door. He knew, he knew with absolute certainty that if they stayed, that’d be the end for them. He couldn't ensure his friends' lives if he was dead... This thing would get to kill everyone. Bucky wouldn’t stand for that. He knew Steve wouldn’t either. \n\n“Okay. Whatever you wanna do, let’s just do it.” Bucky cringed, feeling utterly dejected. He was a cast aside ragdoll with no more life left. \n\nSteve moved over to the window, opening it. He slipped outside, climbing along the house. Bucky followed, clinging to the gutters as best he could. They hobbled down the slippery roofing and jumped to the ground below. “Bucky!” Steve shouted.\n\nBucky turned around with enough time to see a girl crawling out of the pond, muddy and ghostly pale. Her hair blocked her face and she moved like the bones in her body weren’t there anymore.\n\n“Oh fuck! Run! Run, Steve run!” \n\nThey did, they ran into the treeline. Bucky kept behind Steve, following that shock of blond hair. He turned around and relaxed when nothing was chasing them. \n“Steve! Holy—Steve slow—slow down!” \n\nSteve slowed to a jog, biting his lower lip. “Don’t TRUST me to slow down?” He gasped, catching his breath. “We lose it?” \n\n“Yeah.” Bucky would ignore that comment. He deserved it.\n\n“We’re in the woods though,” Steve said.\n\n“Yup.” Bucky started walking. They had to find somewhere to hide or get some damn salt. “Wait!” His eyes snapped open. “Your rosary!” \n\n“It’s in the car?” Steve’s eyes also rounded, realization draining in. “Oh it’s in the car!” \n\n“We’ve just gotta get it!” \n\n“God, this is—this is fucking crazy, Bucky!”\n\n“There’s a dead girl hobbling around on all fours and there’s a ghost in our house. I think we’ve surpassed that.” Bucky grabbed Steve’s arm. “We’ve gotta do this. We can’t leave everyone inside.” \n\n“Do you have your phone?” Steve asked, following Bucky back toward the house. “Mine’s dead.” \n\nBucky shook his head. “I left it in the house.”\n\n“Fuck. We need Sam or someone, ya know, just in case we all...”\n\n“We just need each other. We can do this, baby.” Bucky offered what he hoped to be a reassuring smile. "No one is gonna die tonight."\n\n“Trying to kiss my ass now?” Steve didn’t seem so reassured. The shadows from the trees danced across his face like sharp nails, ready to peel back his skin. He looked older out here, not as powerful. They were both afraid. \n\nThey came back to the long driveway, keeping to the trees. Bucky peeked around one, looking. “I don’t see anything.” \n\n“Doesn’t mean it ain’t there.” \n\nBucky leaned back, biting his lip. “You think they're all okay?”\n\n“God, I hope. Car?”\n\n“Yeah.” Bucky stayed low, creeping behind Bruce’s car and then rolling behind a bush. He looked out. The front door was wide open. That was either a good sign or a horribly bad one. He didn’t want to really think which was which. He crawled over to the car, grabbing the door. It opened silently and he snuck inside, reaching for the glove box. \nHe heard a nose in the backseat. \n\nHe could [[look back]], or [[get the rosary]].\n

“Are any of the cars unlocked?” Steve asked, reaching down and undoing Bucky’s pants. “Cause I don’t know if Nat’ll let us live after fucking on her car.”\n\n“Oh fuck it,” Bucky grumbled, pulling Steve’s pants down to his ankles. He dropped to his knees, already kissing up Steve’s thighs.\n\n“Oh shit, Bucky,” Steve mumbled, dropping his head back against the car. “We’re fucking outside our house.”\n\nBucky enveloped Steve’s cock, running his tongue along it, sucking loudly. He covered the tip with his lips, looking up at Steve as he let his lips slip back and forth against the tip. “We’re gonna fuck in every room once everyone leaves.”\n“Good with that,” Steve sighed, running his fingers through Bucky’s hair. \n\nBucky laughed, his breath hot on Steve’s cock. He took Steve into his mouth again, stretching his lips over Steve’s length, coating him with a nice, shiny coat of saliva. \n\n“Ahh, still…wanna fuck in a car.”\n\nBucky hummed around Steve’s cock, pulling back with a soft wet sound. “Wanna [[fuck me]]? Or can I please shove you over the [[hood of the car]]?”\n

Nat, Clint, Bruce and Tony were outside, heaving. Sweat clung to their faces and Tony’s sleeve was torn. Steve hobbled awkwardly over, reaching out to examine him. \n\nBucky nodded firmly, swallowing. “Rough night?” he asked.\n\n“Fuck you man. After you two abandoned us, we got chased outta the house by the zombie girl.” Bruce shivered. “You shoulda smelled her. But we found Clint and Nat.”\n\n"Yeah, we may or may not have been trying to turn a car on and get the fuck outta here. Did you know all the batteries in the cars are gone?" Clint asked.\n\nBucky winced. “How is it now?” He ignored Clint's question. He'd had no idea the batteries were gone.\n\n“Quiet,” Tony said. “She scratched me though. Hope I don’t turn into a zombie too. That’d be such a shame.” He shrugged, like the thought didn’t actually scare him. It did. Bucky could see it in the way he clenched his jaw. \n\n“We found this book?” Steve said, offering it to Bruce. “Dunno what language it is.” \n\nBruce took it, furrowing his brow. “It’s Sanskrit.”\n\n“Can you read it?” Steve asked.\n\nBruce narrowed his eyes. “I lived in India. I know my way around their ancient texts.”\n\nTony scoffed, rolling his eyes.\n\n“Hey! It’s useful for science. You should learn another language, Stark.”\n\n“Please. That’s why I hire secretaries.” \n\n“Less bickering, more figuring out how we survive this?” Natasha asked. Steve nodded. \n\nBruce paged through the book, his face contorting to surprise, brows rising, to concern, brows furrowing. He chewed his lower lip, nodding along. “I can’t read all of it, but I think I know what’s happening.” \n\n“What?” Steve and Bucky asked at the same time.\n\nBruce paused, his eyes rounding in surprise at their expletive. “It’s a sacrifice. Lovers, usually.” \n\n“Oh,” Bucky said, feeling his stomach drop. Of course. Newlyweds moving into a house with bright ideas of starting lives together only to have it brutally taken away. \n\n“Hey,” Steve pulled Bucky into his arms, “don’t look so glum. This ain’t over yet.”\n\n“They’re demons, Steve. We ain’t gotta chance.” \n\n“Well, they just need any lovers, once they get them, they leave.” Bruce shrugged. “Nat and Clint are..."\n\n"Hey! Don't you fucking offer us up!" Clint pointed at Bruce, his face in a snarl. \n\nBucky bit the inside of his cheek. He’d never wish that upon anyone. He wanted to live with Steve so badly. He wanted that family, that yard and the dog. He wanted Steve coming home from a rough night to a nice dinner or Bucky coming home to a rose petal oiled bath and a lot of kisses. He hung his head, sniffing. “Has anyone seen my cat?”\n\n“I think he bolted,” Tony said. “Why?”\n\n“I just wanted to know…” Bucky whispered, staring at his feet. He wanted to know what would happen to Pietro once he was gone… \n\n“I guess we just go back inside and get it over with?” Bucky asked.\n\n"What? Bucky no!" Natasha grabbed Bucky's shoulder, her eyes pleading. "We can do something about this."\n\n"No we can't. They're demons!"\n\n“Buck, no.” Steve grabbed his hand, shaking his head. The ever vigilant Steve Rogers. He looked so beautiful in the cloudy night. At least the rain stopped. “We don’t give up.”\n \n“Is there anything in there that says how we can fight them?” Tony asked, crossing his arms. \n\n“Let me keep looking.” Bruce bit his thumb lightly, his gaze scanning the page. “There’s a thing in here about water and mud, like it’s holding a key? Or something? Muddy water? Small body?”\n\n“The pond,” Bucky said. “It’s talking about the pond, right?”\n\nSteve jumped, momentarily elated. “Yes! It has to! What’s it say?!” \n\nA groan echoed into the night air. They all looked up, seeing the zombie girl hobbling down the stairs. Her neck swung like a door hinge, but her gaze never wavered. Dark, hollow and grotesque. Her fingers twitched, like a puppet master yanking on the strings. \n\n“Oh God.” Bucky grabbed Steve’s shoulders. “What do we do?” \n\n“Run to the pond?” Steve asked.\n\n“We could [[fight her? Punch? Kick?]] I don’t know?” Tony suggested. \n

Steve sighed, looking at the shattered porcelain pieces. “Maybe I could glue it back, baby,” he suggested. “I’m so sorry.”\n\nBucky stared at the pieces, snuffling morosely. “I didn’t do it.”\n\n“What happened?” Tony asked as he stepped into the room from the back door. “Oh shiznit.”\n\n“Tony!” Steve reprimanded, his eyes glaring.\n\nTony held up his hands in surrender, moving to put a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. \n\n“I didn’t do it,” Bucky repeated again. “I was getting the plates and glassware from the box. This was in its box on the table. I didn’t knock it.”\n\n“Baby,” Steve sighed, wincing. “Boxes don’t just fall on their own.”\n\n“Fuck off, Steve!” Bucky snapped. “Someone else busted my grandma’s china!”\n\nSteve sucked in a deep breath. He knew Bucky was upset and looking for anyone to blame but himself. Steve understood that. He moved to help pick up some of the pieces with Tony. “I can try to glue it all back together, baby.”\n\nBucky was pouting, staring down at one of the pieces in his hands. “Okay.”\n\nSteve smiled, placing a kiss against Bucky’s cheek. “When I find the hot glue gun I’ll get right to it. Okay?”\n\n“Yeah,” Bucky sighed. “Whatever.”\n\nSteve ran his fingers through Bucky’s hair, brushing his nose against his lover’s face before standing up. Bucky would be upset for awhile. That was understandable. Steve moved to place the broken pieces on the table with the ones Tony had picked up. \n\n“The bulbs are out upstairs,” Bucky mentioned. “I was gonna check the basement if we had any spares or call Nat to pick them up.”\n\n“I can do that,” Steve responded softly, helping Bucky stand up. He gently pulled Bucky to him, brushing their hips together. “You wanna just sweep up in here?”\n\nBucky nodded, biting at his lip. “I’m sorry, Steve.” \n\nSteve chortled, placing a kiss on Bucky’s nose. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”\n\n“Woah,” Clint exclaimed, coming into the kitchen. “What happened here?”\n\n“An accident,” Steve said before Tony could answer. “We’re dealing with it. Wanna help me look for lightbulbs down in the basement?”\n\n“Sure thing,” Clint answered, turning on his heel to open the basement door.\n\nThey descended the stairs, holding onto the railing as they walked slowly in the dark. It was freezing down here. The room smelled of musty old papers. Steve wondered how much stuff was left from the previous owners in here. He fumbled along the wall, raising an arm and swatting wildly as he found the chain to pull for the light.\n\nThe overhead lights buzzed on, casting a pale-white brightness into the room. With the lights on, it wasn't so scary. It just looked cluttered. The lights flickered briefly before steading. Steve thought nothing of it. \n\n"Look along there, yeah?" Steve asked Clint. \n\nClint went to one of the multi-level shelves, pulling boxes and checking inside and then going to the next one or scooting objects around.\n\nSteve did the same on the other side.\n\n"Jesus, fuck!" Clint shouted, stumbling back. \n\nSteve turned around, furrowing his brow heavily as he moved quickly to Clint, checking him over. "What?"\n\n"Just look in there." \n\nSteve went up to the box he was pointing at and found several human jaw bones. His lips parted in disgust as he continued to stare at them. "What the fuck?" \n"Who the hell lived here before you?" Clint asked. \n\nSteve swallowed hard. "Realtor said it was a family. Some of them died here, but I doubt this belonged to any of them." Steve's face crumpled up as he gingerly touched one of the jaw bones.\n\n"Oh sure," Clint drawled. "Bunch of human jaw bones just walked in here on their own. Did you never research how the fucking people died?!"\n\nSteve shrugged. "I mean, they said it was an accident?"\n\n"Don't you wanna know?" Clint asked; furrowing his brow and shaking his head softly at Steve. \n\nSteve looked down at the bones, chewing his bottom lip. He [[did want]] to know, but part of him felt it was just [[better not knowing.]]\n

Steve could feel his heart shatter. He looked up into Bucky’s eyes, his own pleading. This could end everything. Their perfect house with the perfect marriage and the perfect life. He’d done something horrible and now he was being punished for it.\n\n“We need to talk.” He looked at Thor. “In private.”\n\nThor took a deep breath. He pulled out his car keys. “It was lovely seeing you all. I think I’ll go before the rain floods the streets.”\n\n“Wait—” Bucky ran his hand through his hair. “What’s goin’ on?”\n\nBruce looked between the three. Tony was just sporting a cocked brow. \n\n“You can go,” Steve said to Thor. “Thanks for stoppin’ by.”\n\nThor stiffly made his way from the house. The rain was a torrential downpour outside, but that didn’t stop him. It was better this way. Bucky wasn’t above punching someone, and Steve didn’t want to see him and Thor duke it out over him.\n\n“This is awkward,” Bruce said. “I’m gonna go get something to drink. Tony?”\n\nTony awkwardly scrambled behind him and together they went into the kitchen. \n\n“Steve,” Bucky said. “What’s goin’ on, baby?”\n\nSteve couldn’t find it in him to meet Bucky’s gaze. He pictured the worst, Bucky screaming at him, crying and regretting the very day they were married. Their lives had been so beautiful up to now together. Best friends forever. Lovers later in life. Goals in the same fields and thoughts of children on the horizon. Steve had ruined it all.\n\n“I kissed Thor.” The words hung in the air, punctuated by lightning and thunder.\n\nBucky just blinked.\n\n“I thought it was the only way. He kept tugging on my wrist and saying how I never gave him a chance. I just thought it was the easiest way to reject him. Then I thought you saw it and I didn’t have a chance to explain so I ran after you. I swore I was talking to you upstairs. I could see you so perfectly in the dark. I turned the light on and you were gone. Then I ran and something tripped me.” He looked to the mark on his ankle. “Or grabbed me.”\n\nBucky took in a deep breath. His lips twitched. Steve wasn’t sure if he was going to scream at him or end it all. \n\n“I’m sorry, Buck.” Tears welled in Steve’s eyes. “I’m so sorry.”\n\nBucky stood up, pacing the length of the coffee table. Steve felt cold again. “It was just a kiss,” Bucky finally said. “You were tryin’ to let ‘im down. Nothin’ more, right?”\n\n“Absolutely.” Steve learned forward. “I love you. I’ve always loved just you.”\n\nBucky looked to the foyer. “Glad he’s gone then. I’d fuckin’ kill him for forcing you into somethin’ like that.”\n\nRelief warmed Steve’s soul. Bucky wasn’t ending their relationship. He understood. Things were going to be okay…\nExcept for the—whatever it was—in the house. \n\n“Okay but, like.” Bucky pulled Steve off the couch. “Thinkin’ someone else got his lips on you is makin’ me fiercely territorial. You’re freaking out, and I’m freaking out. I think it’d be nice if we just…ya know.” He trailed his hands to Steve’s pants. “Took the edge off.”\n\nSteve’s mouth dropped open. “I’m scared someone’s in the house and you’re wanting to suck me off?”\n\nBucky shrugged. “I’m a slut. You know this.”\n\n“Okay,” Steve said, smiling. “Where?”\n\nBucky looked up. “Let’s face your fears, babydoll. Upstairs.”\n\nSteve’s heart twisted, but he let Bucky lead them to the stairs. Bucky was with him. It’d be okay if they were together. Maybe the bruising on his leg wasn’t really anything special. He could’ve just tripped and that was that.\n \nThe balcony creaked beneath them as they walked. Steve clung to Bucky as they moved down their hallway to the bedroom. The window flashed occasionally from the lighting. It was a spooky night and Steve was high on adrenaline from Thor. Thor was gone, Bucky understood. It was starting to be okay. Steve could’ve just been imagining everything. \n\nSteve slammed his head against the bedroom wall, letting his eyelids droop. “Suck me off then, baby.”\n\nBucky giggled darkly before pressing a kiss against Steve’s lips. He pulled back, running his tongue suggestively over his top lip. “M’gonna make you feel so good, doll. Gonna forget’about all that Thor stuff.”\n\nHe dropped to his knees, yanking Steve’s pants down to his ankles. “You’re gonna change anyway, right? Cause of the mud?” he asked, looking up through dark lashes. \n\n“Yeah,” Steve breathed out, tracing his thumb against Bucky’s bottom lip. He stepped out of his jeans, kicking them aside. \n\nBucky kissed against Steve’s thigh. He gently pulled at Steve’s legs, spreading them just a tad so he could get closer and start nibbling at Steve’s inner thigh.\n\n“Oh…fuck, Bucky,” Steve sighed out as he rolled his head against the wall. \n\nBucky giggled softly, his hot breath tracing over Steve’s thigh, making him shiver. “You’ve got such beautiful legs.” Bucky ran his hands up and down Steve’s legs. \n\n“Mmm,” Steve hummed as he nudged his hips forward, attempting to get Bucky’s attention. \n\n“Oh? What’s that, babydoll?” Bucky teased as he scooted closer. “You got a problem, don’t ya?”\n\nSteve nodded. His cock was twitching, already desperate for Bucky’s pretty lips to suck around it.\n\n“You want me to take care of it for you?” he prodded teasingly. Steve could punch him, that smirk was so sly. \n\n“Yeah, baby,” Steve whispered. “I want you to take care of it.” \n\n“Mmm,” Bucky hummed as he mouthed over Steve’s erection, sending tiny jolts of pleasure through his stomach and down into his toes. “I do love takin’ care of you, doll.” He traced his fingers along Steve’s length through his briefs. \n\nSteve bucked his hips. “B-Bucky!” he gasped. “Please don’t fuck with me.”\n\nBucky laughed loudly. “Why not? They can’t hear us down there.”\n\n“Bucky, please…” Steve whined.\n[[-Have Bucky tease him-]] [[-Have Bucky listen to him-]]\n

Bucky whined, tears streaming from his eyes. “Fuck Steve.” He sat up, pushing his palms into his eyes. “I can’t do it.” \n\nSteve wrapped his arms around Bucky, kissing him over and over. “Shh.” He kissed him again. “I know. I know baby. I can’t either. God, I love you. I just—this doesn’t feel right.” \n\nBucky pushed Steve into the bed, claiming his lips, running his hands down Steve’s body. He slipped his fingers beneath Steve’s shirt and played with his nipples. Steve whined, arching into the touch. “I just need to touch you.” \n\nSteve nodded, leaning up to kiss Bucky again. \n\nThey spent their time kissing. Their kisses said everything they couldn’t. They were terrified this was the end. They didn’t know how to really comfort each other. They’ve never been good with discussing feelings. Sometimes actions just worked better. \n\nCrying into each other, running hands up and down arms and squeezing shoulder blades was easier. They could convey their fear without explaining why they felt that way. They could use their mouths, pressed close that their breath became the conversation. This felt like goodbye, but they weren’t sure. But they were scared enough that it may… \n\nSteve rolled onto Bucky, his tongue pushing into Bucky’s mouth. He kissed hard, tears cooling against his face. They trailed down against Bucky, little reminders that they had dreams of growing old together. Would Bucky never get to see Steve’s first gray hair? Never play football in the backyard with the kids and the dog? Each tear… each regret… each little memory that they’d never get to have. It all slipped away in their tears. \n\n“We should go,” Steve said against Bucky’s lips. “We can’t leave them alone anymore.”\n\nBucky sighed. “Yeah.”\n\nSteve straightened up, clearing his throat. “This—we’re not givin’ up, Buck. We’re gonna fight.”\n\nBucky smiled sadly. “What if that’s the wrong decision?”\n\nSteve grabbed Bucky’s hand, staring into Bucky’s soul. “Then we’ll die. We’ll die together if that’s what it has to be.” \n\nBucky felt more tears. “I don’t wanna die, Steve.” He hiccupped, trying so hard to hold himself together. He’d shatter any minute, an egg teetering along the edge. “There’s so much we didn’t get to do.” \n\nSteve nodded, smiling through his tears. “I know. That’s why I’m gonna fight. I’m not givin’ up, Bucky. This isn’t us giving up. This is just—this is just the interlude.” \nBucky wiped at his cheeks. “The interlude?”\n\nSteve stood up, fixing his pants. “I’m angry, Bucky. There’s a ghost in my house and it’s threatening the rest of my life with you. I’m not goin’ down without a fight.” \n\nBucky nodded. “You wouldn’t be Steve Rogers if you did.” \n\n“I’m not Steve Rogers.” He smiled, cocky and so sure of himself. “I’m Steve Rogers-Barnes.” \n\n“You punk.” \n\n“C’mon.” Steve offered out a hand. “[[Let’s go downstairs]].” \n\nBucky felt lighter, somehow. Confident. Steve was the best husband in the history of husbands. They’d fight their way out of this. \n

“You’re all gonna think I’m crazy.” Steve looked at his friends. He could feel the blood rushing from his face. He felt colder than a man out in a snowstorm. He began shaking.\n“Hey babydoll.” Bucky reached out, pulling Steve into a hug. “Shh, I’ve gotcha. I’ve gotcha sweetheart.”\n\nSteve felt tears in his eyes. He shook so hard he started choking on saliva. His gaze frantically met his friends’ faces. Thor was the only one casually off to the side, sulking. Fuck him. His face was all Steve needed to reclaim himself. \n\n“Someone tripped me upstairs. They were in the bathroom. I—um—I thought they were you.”\n\nBucky pet Steve’s hair, his face so full of love and concern it almost made Steve cry. “It’s dark babydoll. Maybe you tripped on somethin’ else?”\n\n“No.” Steve swallowed. “Someone reached out and grabbed me. I swore I was talking to you in the bathroom. I thought you’d—I mean—nevermind.”\n\nBucky frowned.\n\n“Should we get those lightbulbs?” Tony asked. “It’d be rather unfortunate if Steve tripped and broke his neck on their first night here.”\n\n“That’s not funny,” Bruce said.\n\nTony flailed his arms. “I wasn’t being funny! I’m being serious!” He pointed to his face. “This is my serious face!”\n\n“I’ll see if there’s any in the basement,” Nat said. She grabbed Clint’s hand and together they made their way down.\n\nBucky’s hands were caressing Steve’s head, down his neck and squeezing at his shoulders. The heat of his body felt comforting. He led Steve over to the couch and Steve curled into him, ducking his head against his beating heart. “You’re okay, Steve. I promise.”\n\n“Steve?” Thor took a step forward. “Your pants are dirty.”\n\nSteve looked to the hem of his jeans. Sure enough, there was mud, just like the print in the parlor, smeared into the fabric. He pulled the Denim up. He was fine, except for a bruise that looked like a hand.\n\n“Jesus,” Bruce gasped. \n\nBucky took a deep breath. He held onto Steve tighter. “You think someone’s in the house?”\n\nSteve wanted to tell him he didn’t’ think it was just someone. It was something… Something malicious. The broken chinaware, the feeling of being watched and the shadow in the bathroom—it was something.\n\n[[confess everything]] \n

“I’m gonna get you out, baby.” Bucky worked at the restraints, wincing when Steve gasped. He bit his lip so hard he tasted blood when he finally broke one of the restraints. \n\n“FUCK! STOP IT HURTS!” Steve screamed.\n\nBucky moved back, watching his husband—his real husband—panting heavily. His body was shrugged over, his chest rising and falling.\n\nThe other Steve was still standing in the corner of the room, watching. Bucky was sure he was an apparition, or some kind of form the ghost took. But he looked so real—had felt real. \n“What did you do to him?” Bucky asked through a wavering voice.\n\nSteve shook his head, staring. “I didn’t do anything, Bucky. That’s not me.” \n\nBucky looked back to the Steve in the chair. Tears were streaming from his eyes and the restraints had burned into his skin. “I’m gonna get you out, baby. I’m here.” \n\nBucky closed his eyes, trying to knock the noise out. His head was swimming from all the adrenaline and his injuries. He’d been slammed into the wall one too many times tonight. \n“Bucky, please,” Steve said. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes round. “That’s not me.” \n\nBucky ignored him. He worked at the restraints, whimpering when he heard the sitting Steve cry out in pain. The wounds were open and bleeding when he peeled away the restraints. \n“What did they do to you?” Bucky threw one of the restraints away, watching the red fizzle out. \n\n“BUCKY STOP! DON’T DO THIS!” \n\nBucky stood up, marching right up to the other Steve, he shoved the man by the throat, glaring. “Give up your act and either fight me or get out of my way. You led me here. This fuck-up is all on you.” \n\n“That’s not me, Bucky!” Steve shouted, pointing at the sitting man. “I swear to God, baby, that’s not me.” \n\n“What’s my favorite food?”\n\n“Hot dogs!” His eyes were pleading, shimmering with unshed tears. Bucky looked over at the slumped form in the chair. Which one? Which one?!\n\n“What’s your favorite sex toy?”\n\n“Seriously? That’s your question?”\n\nBucky shook his head, walking way. “Get outta here. I know you ain’t him.” \n\n“Bucky, that’s not me. I swear. I swear that’s not me.” \n\nBucky ignored the imposter, moving back to Steve. The longer Steve was in the chair, the paler he got. Bucky worked at the knots, slipping them free and letting the rope fall to the floor. The room got darker and darker each time, but he didn’t care. Steve needed him. \n\nBut the ghost wasn’t hurting Steve. He wasn’t attacking and he wasn’t giving up the act. It made Bucky pause, his hands hovering over the last knot. “Baby?”\nSteve opened his eyes lazily. \n\n“You’re you, right?”\n\nThe man nodded his head, but was too weak to bring it back up again.\n\n“Shit.” Bucky undid the last knot.\n \nThe room went into total darkness, and that’s when Bucky felt so cold he thought death was sucking him away. \n\nHe dropped onto the cold, damp floor, his hand holding Steve’s.\n\nThe light fizzled all the way out, a [[dark shadow hovering above them]].\n

Bucky sat back on his feet, biting the side of his lip. “I like playing with you, doll. You’re just so pretty all withering and begging.”\n\n“Bucky…” Steve whined pointedly. “Please.”\n\nBucky mouthed over Steve’s cock, looking up tauntingly. “I wanna take my time with you, doll. I like getting you so wet you seep precome out your briefs.”\n\nSteve hit his head back into the wall in protest, but he didn’t say anything further. Part of him also enjoyed Bucky’s slow, playful taunting. \n\nBucky ran his nose against Steve’s length before pressing a kiss against Steve’s hipbone. He playfully slipped his tongue out to glide across it. “Mm, such pretty hips, doll,” he cooed. “I wanna kiss ‘em till they’re bruised and all mine.”\n\nSteve brought his hands up to lace into Bucky’s brown locks. “They are yours.” \n\nBucky sat up on his knees, pushing Steve’s shirt up and licking over his navel. “Your bellybutton, is it mine too?”\n\nSteve nodded. “Yeah baby. All yours.” God his cock was throbbing right now. He wanted to press it into Bucky’s face so badly and just run it along those silken, sultry lips. He bit the side of his mouth, stifling the whine that threatened to pass his lips. \n\nBucky slipped his fingers up and down Steve’s length, pressing his finger against the tip. “Oh, baby!” he cried out gleefully. “You’re getting all wet for me.” \n\nSteve’s face flushed with embarrassment as he looked away. He was pretty sure he just saw Pietro dart from under the bed and under one of the dressers. \n\n“You like the way I play with you, doll?” Bucky asked through his sickeningly sweet tone he saved only for occasions like this. He palmed over Steve’s tip, circling it gently. \n\nSteve rocked his hips into Bucky’s hand, wishing to God that he didn’t have his briefs on right now. “Y-yeah, Buck…I like it.” \n\nBucky laughed softly. “God, you’re so pretty, Stevie.” He pulled Steve’s briefs down, letting them drop to his ankles.\nSteve’s shoulders relaxed as his erection was finally free of his tight briefs. It bobbed up into Bucky’s face. Bucky lightly licked at the tip, swirling his tongue around to collect the precome that’d built up there. “Mmm, taste so good, baby,” Bucky cooed. “I just wanna suck you dry.”\n\nSteve watched Bucky flick his tongue over the tip. He slammed his head back as he grit his teeth. Bucky knew all the ways to get Steve worked up.\n\nBucky ran his tongue along the base to the tip, swirling around it softly. He pumped with his hand a few times at the base, looking up. “You like that, doll?”\n\nSteve nodded, biting his lip. \n\n“I can’t hear you…” Bucky pressed.\n\n“Yes, Bucky,” Steve whispered. “Yes I like it.”\n\nBucky hummed in approval. He scooted closer, looking up, making sure Steve’s gaze was focused on him. A flash of lightning lit up the room. Steve was momentarily disoriented by how big Bucky’s pupils were. \n\nBucky kissed the tip of Steve’s cock, keeping his gaze focused on Steve’s as he slowly made out with Steve’s penis. He grabbed at the base, stroking it slowly. \n\nSteve’s head slammed back into the wall again. “Mmm, Bucky,” he whined. “God, you’re so good, baby.”\n\nBucky laughed around Steve’s cock. He sucked more in, using his tongue to direct Steve’s dick into the center of his hot mouth. He let his teeth lightly drag along it, making Steve’s heart jump into his throat. He hated it…but he knew Bucky loved it, so he let it happen… \n\nBucky pressed his lips against the tip, sliding them with ease from the saliva. Steve’s breath hitched in the back of his throat as he attempted not to moan. \n\nBucky seemed dissatisfied with that, because he took more of Steve into his mouth, sliding his tongue back and forth against the underside. He looked up again, watching Steve’s face intently as he would slurp loudly against Steve’s cock. \n\n“Ah…ah!” Steve panted. Bucky went crazy for the sounds Steve would make and Steve would put up a fight each and every time about it. He hated sounding like a frat boy slut but… Bucky always got him that way. \n\nBucky reached up to finger at Steve’s balls, caressing them lightly with the tips of his fingers. He swirled his tongue around Steve’s cock again, pulling back and smacking loudly as he let a small trail of saliva glisten from his wet, swollen lips to the tip of Steve’s cock. He smiled triumphantly, pressing a finger against Steve’s slit and circling it softly. \n\n“Ff-fuck! B-Bucky!” Steve whined out, his back arching. “Please…more.”\n\n“M’just admiring it, Stevie,” he said softly. “You’ve got the prettiest cock I’ve ever seen.”\n\nSteve rolled his eyes. “C’mon, Bucky… We should get back downstairs.”\n\nBucky sighed. “You’re no fun, Rogers.”\n\n“Rogers-Barnes,” Steve corrected. “We’re married, jackass.” \n\nBucky placed his teeth gently against the tip of Steve’s cock, threatening a bite that Steve wasn’t honestly sure would come or not. He wouldn’t be surprised if Bucky did put a bit of pressure down… He stopped breathing; waiting for the inevitable pain that would surely kill his boner. \n\nHowever, Bucky just sucked Steve loudly back into his mouth, looking back down as he focused on tracing his tongue along the thick veins of Steve’s dick. His hand still played with Steve’s balls lazily. \n\nSteve let his head rest back against the wall, his eyes slipping shut as his mouth dropped open. “Ah…ah…ah…” \n\nBucky bobbed his head rhythmically back and forth, grabbing at Steve’s hand and putting it at the back of his skull.\n\nSteve wove his fingers into Bucky’s hair, petting him adoringly. “Ff-fuck…” he breathed out. \n\nBucky pressed his tongue along the underside of Steve’s tip, flicking it quickly, making Steve’s knees feel like they were going to give out any moment. Bucky knew that’s where Steve really liked it. Steve’s grip on his lover's head tightened as he started to fuck into Bucky’s mouth. Bucky let him, opening his mouth wider and hollowing out his cheeks. \n\nDrool glistened off Bucky’s chin as Steve rocked his hips, gently forcing more of his cock in and out of Bucky’s eager, perfect mouth. He felt Bucky’s gag reflexes clamp around him, pulling a heat up into the base of his abdomen. \n\n“Ah…Bucky…you’re mouth’s so…so fucking good…so… so hot…wet…” he mewled out. God, at this rate he was going to come soon. \n\nBucky pushed at Steve’s hips, taking back control and slurping wetly around Steve’s cock. He ran his tongue along the length, making sure to slip it over the slit and swirl around the tip. \n\nSteve’s legs started went weak. He wanted to collapse. He brought both hands against Bucky’s head now, using him partly for support. “Ah…ah fuck…fuck, Bucky!” he whined. He slammed his head back against the wall. He could have sworn he heard someone on the other side smack back… \n\n"Bu-ucky…” he whined in a desperate vibrato. “F-ffuck…” \n\nBucky quickened his pace. He sucked hard at Steve’s tip, flicking his tongue, over and over again, against the underside as he worked the base with his saliva coated hand. He looked up, catching Steve’s hooded gaze. Pulling back, Bucky flicked his tongue out like a snake at Steve’s slit.\n\nSteve momentarily doubled over, letting out a wrecked moan before smashing himself back against the wall. Again…there was that echo of someone hitting the wall back…\n\n“G-God! Bucky…Bucky I’m gonna…I’m gonna come,” he said through clenched teeth. \n\nBucky took all of Steve in his mouth, letting drool slip down his chin and onto his shirt as he sucked Steve’s throbbing cock. He squeezed at Steve’s sac, pushing them up lightly into Steve’s body. \n\nSteve felt the heat coil around the base of his spine, he felt his cock pulse with excited tremors as his orgasm built up within him. He rocked into Bucky’s mouth, quickening the pace and slamming back against the inside of Bucky’s throat. Bucky gagged loudly, his muscles fluttering around Steve’s dick. \n\n“Ah! Ah! FUCK! FUCK!” Steve screamed out as his orgasm flowed through him. He slammed his head back against the wall, garnering no echo this time… It was odd. But his mind was too clouded with how delicious Bucky’s mouth was to think much further on it. \n\nBucky swallowed most of Steve’s come down. Some had managed to dribble down his chin and was sliding lazily down his neck. Steve ran his fingers over it, tracing it along the grooves of Bucky’s throat. \n\n“Christ, Bucky…” Steve gasped. “You fucking suck like a Hoover.” \n\nBucky stood up, wiping at the semen on his neck. “Had a lot of practice. My husband's really hot,” he answered casually as he turned for the bathroom. “Did you hear someone banging on the wall?” he called from the bathroom. \n\nSteve was slipping into his sweats. “Y-yeah… I thought it was just me.” \n\n“Maybe, was weird though.” \n\n“You think it was Nat or someone?” Steve asked as he walked toward the bathroom doors. Bucky was over the sink, washing his face off. Steve smirked. He loved watching Bucky clean himself up. \n\n“Shit, if she was, she better be fucking wet as a dam now,” Bucky responded. “I was fucking on that shit.”\n\nSteve walked into the bathroom, pressing his chest against Bucky’s back and licking at the shell of his ear. “Mm, yeah you were, baby.” \n\nBucky toweled his face dry. He wrapped a hand around the back of Steve’s neck as he pressed himself back into Steve. “I love you.” \n\n“I love you too,” Steve answered warmly. “Should we [[go back down]]? Or do we wanna [[see if someone’s up here]]?”\n\n

Natasha sighed, biting her lip. She looked between Clint and Bucky. Smiling sadly, she cupped Clint’s face, and kissed his lips softly. “I love you, but I’m staying.”\n \n“What? Nat—”\n\n“I know.” She stepped back, linking her arm with Bucky’s. “But I believe him. We’ll be fine if we just—just play her game.” \n\n“You’re outta your mind, Nat!” Clint was about to grab her again, but he looked to Bucky then backed up. “It’s not safe here.”\n\n“But she told Bucky how we could survive. That means this is the safest place to be, Clint.” \n\nClint looked to his feet. He shook his head. “I don’t trust her. What if she’s lying?”\n\n“And what if she’s being honest?” Steve asked. \n\nClint kissed Natasha’s cheek, brushing his nose over hers. “I’m not leavin’ without you.” \n\n“Then I guess you stay with us,” Natasha said, nodding. “Because I’m not leaving Bucky.”\n\nClint sighed, rolling his neck. “I’m gonna regret everything, aren’t I?”\n\nBucky laughed. “Probably.” \n\n“Okay, so we stay. What do we do then? I mean—what do you do when there’s a ghost out to kill you.”\n\n“We should do more research,” Steve said. “Find out why they died, what was built here first. Maybe this was a battle zone or a graveyard.” \n\n“Check if the father went mad or if he had any preexisting conditions,” Bruce supplied. “That’s a big clue.”\n\nBucky nodded. “Okay. So we just—learn? And then what?”\n\nSteve shrugged. “You’re the one callin’ the shots, baby. We’re all following you.”\n\nBucky’s lips parted. He wasn’t a leader. He’d never been a leader in his whole entire life. He always followed Steve or Natasha’s lead on anything. If he got up to trouble, that was Natasha’s fault. If he ended up with a black eye, that was Steve’s. Everyone’s gaze felt heavy on him. He felt naked. “I think I should—maybe I should try to talk to her again.” \n\n“I don’t think calling down the ghosts is a good idea,” Tony said. “Maybe we should all just bunker down in the parlor and play on our smartphones.” \n\nBucky furrowed his brow. “But what if that’s the wrong decision?”\n\n“What’s the right decision? We don’t even know what we’re supposed to do.” Bruce crossed his arms. “I think talking to her again is a good idea. Especially if she seems to be helping and not hurting.”\n\n“Do we need to remind anyone that she bashed Bucky’s face in and tried to drown me?” Clint asked. Natasha rubbed his back, nodding.\n\n“She said there are others.” Bucky’s gaze scanned over their faces, like a searchlight finding an escapee. “I don’t think that was her. I think she stopped them.”\n\n“What?” Steve stepped closer. “You think she—stopped another ghost?”\n\n“It makes sense. The figure in the bathroom was a man. She was there and she was reasonable. I don’t think someone unreasonable would try to stop hurting me.”\n\n“What about me?” Clint crossed his arms. His body buzzed, making Bucky’s heart skip beats. He felt like he’d jogged a mile. \n\n“Did you see her?”\n\nClint shook his head.\n\n“I think she’s trying to help us.” \n\n“So are choices are talk [[to her again]] or just [[skip to the research]]?” Bruce asked.\n\n“Yes.” Bucky swallowed. “Let’s just pray we make the right decision.” \n

“You’re getting the damn guns,” Bucky answered. “That guy tried to kill me Steve!”\n\n“We don’t know that!” Steve protested. \n\n“Jesus Christ he’s in our fucking house, Steve!” Bucky snarled. “He bashed my head against the wall!”\n\n“We’ll get the guns,” Tony answered. “But we don’t have to kill him, Steve. There’s plenty of places we can shoot at.”\n\n“I’m a good shot, Steve,” Sam said. “I can get kneecaps.” \n\nSteve pinched the bridge of his nose, visibly upset. He shook his head, sucking his lips in. “I hate this.”\n\n“Please, Stevie,” Bucky pleaded. “You don’t have to kill him. I just need to know we’re safe.”\n\nSteve nodded, sighing heavily. “Okay, fine. We’ll go grab the guns.” \n\n“Thank you,” Bucky whispered. “I love you, doll.”\n\nSteve smiled sadly, squeezing Bucky’s shoulder before turning to the foyer. “I love you too.” \n\n“Let’s get that cut looked at,” Bruce said as he sat down next to Bucky with a washcloth and bandages. \n\n“Think I need stitches, doc?” \n\nBruce smiled but shook his head. “No. Your laceration is pretty topical. Just messy.”\n\nBucky leaned up, letting Bruce wipe away the blood. He let his eyes flutter closed, but snapped them open when he thought he saw movement. “That girl!” he exclaimed, sitting up and pressing his stomach to the back of the couch. “I saw that girl again! STEVE! STEVE!” Bucky shouted.\n\n“Bucky!” Bruce protested. “You shouldn’t yell right now.”\n\n“Fuck off, Banner,” Bucky grumbled. “STEVE!”\n\nSteve ran down the stairs, holding a gun in hand.\n\n“I saw that girl! She was in the foyer just…just watching.” Bucky’s heart was pounding into his throat. That girl. She’d been standing there again, with her black hair and those…eyes… They were watching Bucky.\n\n“What?” Natasha gasped. “You gotta be fucking kidding me!”\n\n“Alright,” Steve said, making sure the gun was on safety. “I’ll go check it out.”\n\n“We were just over there,” Nat said. “Don’t you think we’d have seen her?”\n\n“I wanna come with you,” Bucky said as he started to stand up. His vision blurred and he faltered back into Bruce.\n\n“You really shouldn’t,” Bruce advised. “This couch or your bed. One or the other.”\n\n“Fuck that I’m not stayin’ alone anywhere in this house!” Bucky protested. “Steve please let me come with you!” His eyes strained, drowning with anticipation as he waited for Steve’s response. \n\nHe couldn’t stay here alone or with Banner. That girl and that man were in the house and all he wanted was to make sure Steve was safe. \n\n[[Steve is convinced.]] [[Steve is not convinced]].

Steve ran into the kitchen, pushing Natasha gently out of the way as he looked around. The doll was in fact- gone. Steve’s heart started to pound against his chest. He fidgeted his shoulders around as he fought the urge to run again.\n“Someone’s in the house,” he finally said. “Either someone’s in the fucking house or there’re ghosts or some shit and fuck that.”\n\n“Fuck that,” Tony repeated. “Fuck that indeed.”\n\n“What do we do?” Bucky asked. He curled his fingers around Steve’s arm. Steve leaned into him, looking at the table and then out at the pouring rain. \n\n“We search the house. Every room. Every nook and cranny. We’ll split up into pairs. I’ll take the second floor with Bucky. Nat and Clint can check basement and Tony, you and Bruce will do the first floor. Once we scour everything, we’ll all take a look outside.” Steve’s plan seemed to go unchallenged because everyone nodded sternly, sharing nervous glances at each other. “If someone’s in the house, I don’t care who it is, you tackle them or something. Contain them and we’ll regroup.”\n\n“Fuck,” Bucky breathed out. “This is such bullshit.” \n\n“You can say that again,” Clint chimed. “Fucking kids are playing pranks or some shit.” \n\nSteve wasn’t entirely sure if that was the case. Things had been happening that were strange all day, but he figured he was on edge from the move, from the bones in the basement and Bruce’s sudden illness to really be thinking straight. So he kept his mouth shut. He didn’t want to make Bucky anymore afraid than he already was. Steve though… Steve was starting to be quite afraid. \n\nBucky being outside and hearing laughter. Seeing a doll that was very much tossed into a waste basket. Everything had a sense of the unexplainable and Steve was starting to feel with acute horror that they were very much being watched.\n \n“Steve,” Bucky said as he tugged at his wrist. “Let’s go check upstairs.”\n\nSteve nodded tightly, following behind Bucky to the second level. Bucky had snatched two flash lights from the hall before they headed up into the darkness of the hallways. Steve wished they’d gotten light bulbs. He crept behind Bucky as they walked down the hallway to the master suite. Every creak in the floor board had Steve jumping and looking behind him. Every crack of thunder had him wincing and nearly ducking to the floor. His pulse could be heard, beating wildly in his ears and his tongue felt sticky. He watched Bucky poke his head into their bedroom.\n\n“I’ll check the bathroom, you check in here, k?” Bucky instructed.\n\n“Sure, baby,” Steve answered. Steve watched Bucky slip into the bathroom and flip the lights on. Steve had almost forgotten the lights worked in the rest of the house sans the hallways up here. He laughed at himself and turned on the light. \n\nHe checked under the bed. Nothing. He checked under the dressers (for no reason as no one could really hide there but he wasn’t taking any chances). Nothing. He looked outside and saw a girl in a white dress running from the house. “Hey Buck!” he called, feeling so much more relieved. It had been children. She probably had taken the doll with her.\n\n“Yeah?” Bucky asked as he poked his head out of the bathroom.\n\n“Saw a girl running from our property just now. Probably some kids who got stuck in the storm over here and they felt just as uncomfortable about being here as we felt with them.”\n\nBucky’s face fell into a serene state of relaxation. “Oh fuck, Steve,” he breathed out. “Thank fucking Christ!” He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Steve’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I was shitting myself.”\n\nSteve felt dizzy. Relief washed over him like a gentle stream of water. He couldn’t wait to tell everyone else. “I was actually starting to think it was ghosts…” Steve laughed out. He couldn't even describe how much relief he felt. Ghosts weren't real. Everything had a logical explanation but for a minute there he almost let himself believe...\n\nBucky’s mouth dropped into an astonished smile. “Seriously? Me too!” \n\nA crack of thunder shook the house’s windows.\n\n“Fuck!” Bucky gasped as he looked out the window behind Steve. “I hope they get home okay.”\n\nSteve nuzzled Bucky’s neck, pressing his chest against his husband’s. “I’m sure they’ll be fine,” he mumbled as he pressed a kiss against Bucky's jaw. \n\nBucky ran his fingers into Steve’s hair, caressing the back of his skull. “Mmm, you wanna play with our new bed, doll?” he suggested. \n\nSteve took a few steps forward, pressing Bucky against the mattress. “We should tell the others we saw the girl leave,” Steve murmured. He kissed down Bucky’s neck, flicking his tongue out along the smooth skin. \n\n“We should,” Bucky responded. He ran his fingers down Steve’s torso, dipping them into the waistband. “Or…” he drawled before licking the side of Steve’s mouth. “We could break in our bed.” \n\n[[-Break in bed-]] or [[-Tell others-]]\n

Bucky couldn't take this anymore. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest and he had a desperate need to tell Steve that everything they were suspecting was true.\n\nGhost were real. Ghosts were very real and they were here... And they'd killed Bruce. \n\nBucky ran from the room, whimpering along the hallway as someone kept whispering in his ear, "Here, here, here, here, here!"\n\nHe tumbled down the last few steps, scampering up and running into the living room.\n\n"Bucky!" Steve exclaimed. "Baby, are you okay? Did you...wet yourself?"\n\nBucky looked down at his pants, shaking his head. "N-no. Steve, Steve that girl, she's not a girl. I saw her! She's a fuckin' ghost! I swear to fuckin' God, baby she's a fuckin' ghost!" He collapsed into Steve's arms, sobbing into his husband's shoulder. "She's real. Oh my God, she's real."\n\n"What?" Natasha gasped. "What the fuck kind of sick joke is this, Bucky?!"\n\n"IT'S NOT A JOKE!" Bucky screamed. "I FUCKIN' SAW HER!"\n\nSomething creaked above them, following by a loud shattering. \n\nClint grabbed Natasha, wrapping his arms around her as she gasped breathlessly into the air. \n\n"The cops comin'?" Clint asked. \n\n"We need to go," Bucky demanded. "We need to fuckin' go."\n\n"WE CAN'T LEAVE BRUCE!" shouted Tony. He was panting and his eyes were red from crying. "I won't leave him."\n\n"Fuck you, Stark!" Bucky wailed. "He's dead! We'll get his body tomorrow!" \n\n"Steve," Tony began. "Don't do this. Ghosts aren't real. Bucky's just scared."\n\nSteve hovered there, staring at Bucky and then looking back to Tony. "We should...we should protect ourselves. We can't leave, baby," Steve said, turning to Bucky. "But we can protect ourselves." \n\n"Why the FUCK can't we leave," Bucky growled. "Doll baby, please! Please don't do this to me!" He was tugging at Steve's arm, trying desperately to convince Steve. "Please, please, please, baby, please." \n\nSteve sighed, looking around. "We should protect ourselves. We can bunker down with bats in the parlor."\n\n"Bats against a ghost, Steve?" Clint quipped. "Seriously?"\n\n"We could get salt?" Natasha offered. "Always works on Supernatural."\n\n"Fine," Steve said. "Salt and bats. I'm not takin' any chances in case someone's just fucking with us."\n\n"Bruce is DEAD!" Tony rumbled. "And you wanna play ghosthunter? There is no such thing!" \n\n"Tony," Steve pleaded. "We'll stay till the police arrive and then we leave."\n\nTony huffed, his nostrils flaring. "Whatever."\n\n[[Hunker down in the parlor with bats and salt]].

Steve hated himself. He hated that he was too afraid to shout or scream or fight. He hated that he saw the only diplomatic way out of this was to lean in and kiss Thor. So that’s exactly what he did. He pressed his lips against Thor’s; feeling the rough bristles of his blonde beard around his lips. He closed his eyes, imaging Bucky’s soft lips and the little curves of the corners of his mouth. Thor’s lips were nothing like those lips. Steve was pressed into the wall. He felt Thor’s hand go to the back of his head as Thor ran his tongue along the top of Steve’s, claiming his mouth like it was his to take. Steve felt his gut flip. His feet burned. Every inch of his body knew how wrong this was, but he was being diplomatic. He was avoiding a bigger issue by meeting one issue head on and ending it. \n\nSteve pulled back, but Thor’s lips found his again, lapping at them and enveloping them in soft, small caresses. Steve turned his face, forcing Thor to kiss his cheek. “I don’t feel anything, Thor.”\n\nThor sighed heavily though his nose, but he backed up. “Fine. I'm sorry I've caused you pain. Enjoy your husband.” Thor walked out of the room.\n \nSteve dropped to his knees. Guilt ravaged his stomach, tying it into thousands of different knots and pulling it in every direction possible. He hated himself. He hated doing that to Bucky. He needed to tell him. He needed to explain. Another clap of thunder rolled across the night sky. Steve nearly jumped. He looked at the fireplace, his gaze unfocused and frantic as he replayed the kiss. He’d felt dirty. Wrong. It was wrong. Was it cheating? Had he cheated on Bucky? Why did people cheat if they felt like this after? \n\nSteve heard someone run across the balcony. He stood up, thinking it was Bucky. What if he’d seen? He had to explain! Panic set in, tingling Steve’s feet and coiling around his spine as it pumped into his heart. He had to tell Bucky why he’d kissed Thor! Steve stood up, running up the stairs. He stopped, looking down the dark hallways. He’d forgotten the light bulbs in the basement; if there were any to even begin with. He walked slowly down the hall, watching as lightning cast sharp shadows against the walls. \n\nHe opened his bedroom door, flicking on the light. “Buck? Buck lemme explain,” Steve said. He walked further into the room. No one was there. \nSteve furrowed his brow as he walked over to the bathroom. He knocked on the door. “Bucky?”\n\nThe toilet seat slammed. \n\n“I’m coming in.” Steve opened the door.\n\nSteve was surprised the light was off. Perhaps Bucky didn’t want anyone to see him. Steve saw an outline of a person, standing before the toilet. “Bucky…” \n\nThe person didn’t respond. Steve was pretty sure it was Bucky. Why else would someone be up here?\n\n“Look, what you saw,” Steve steadied himself on the sink. He felt sick. “Thor’s been after me for months now. I thought if I let him kiss me and I shut him down, he’d just be done with it. It didn’t mean anything. I swear. I swear to God. I love you, Bucky. I’ve always loved you.” \n\nThe person didn’t respond. He just kept standing there. \n\nSteve furrowed his brow. “Aren’t you gonna say anything? Yell at me? Tell me I’m stupid? Forgive me? Something?”\n\nNo response. \n\nSteve flailed his hands, sighing heavily. He turned the light on, hoping it would confront Bucky better when their eyes could actually meet. When he turned the light on, the figure vanished. Steve jumped back, slamming into the wall and sliding down it. His heart was racing high up into his throat, he coughed. Was that real? Had there been a…ghost? Steve felt foolish. Ghosts didn’t exist. Ghosts weren’t real. It was his mind. His mind was playing tricks on him. It was the house and the darkness and the unfamiliarity and the panic of being found out by Bucky… It wasn’t a ghost. Ghosts didn’t exist. \n\nHe stood up, leaving the light on as he exited the bathroom. He was petrified about going down the long hallway. \n\nHe stood in his bedroom door, staring down the hall. He heard the sounds of the rain outside and the occasional rolls of thunder, but he couldn’t hear his friends. He swallowed hard, taking one step out into the hallway. Thirty-three year old man or not, Steve bolted down the hall, falling flat onto his face as something tripped him. It felt cold and wet.\n\n“Ouch!” He looked around, seeing nothing. Scrambling back up, Steve continued toward the balcony and flung himself down the stairs, holding the railing for dear life as he skipped a few steps to make it to the first floor faster. His knees burned as he stumbled into the foyer.\n\nThere were no such things as ghosts… It was a new house. There were no such things as ghosts. He was just letting his mind play tricks on him. \n\nHe joined back with his friends, his chest heaving up and down. \n\nBucky looked up, a look of concern enveloping his large eyes. “Hey, doll,” he said. “What’s wrong?”\n\nSteve should [[tell him]].\n

“Are any of the cars unlocked?” Steve asked, reaching down and undoing Bucky’s pants. “Cause I don’t know if Nat’ll let us live after fucking on her car.”\n\n“Oh fuck it.” Bucky pulled Steve’s pants down to his ankles. He dropped to his knees, already kissing up Steve’s thighs.\n\n“Oh shit, Bucky,” Steve dropped his head back against the car, “we’re fucking outside our house.”\n\nBucky enveloped Steve’s cock, running his tongue along it, sucking loudly. He covered the tip with his lips, looking up at Steve as he let his lips slide back and forth against the tip. “We’re gonna fuck in every room once everyone leaves.” He spoke against Steve's cock, his soft lips caressing the tip and his breath hot. Steve moaned.\n\n“Good with that.” Steve ran his fingers through Bucky's hair before guiding his husband's lips back around his dick. \n\nBucky laughed, breath hot on Steve’s cock once more. God, Steve wasn't sure if he had the patience for being teased like that, but he'd like to try one day. Just little blows of air or laughter against his cock. Fuck...\n\nBucky took Steve into his mouth again, stretching his lips over Steve’s length, coating him with a nice, shiny coat of saliva. \n\n“Ahh, still…wanna fuck in a car.” Steve could barely get the words out. Honey coated his mind, making everyting soft and hazy.\n\nBucky hummed around Steve’s cock, pulling back with a soft wet sound. “[[Wanna fuck me]]? Or can I please shove you over [[the hood of the car]]?”

“Ehh,” Steve drawled, waving his hand dismissively. “Let him grow up a bit. ‘Sides…could be funny.” Steve’s eyes were swimming with amusement. \nClint sighed heavily, nodding in acceptance. “You know what, you’re probably right. He could use the inspiration anyway. Come on.” Clint clapped Steve on the shoulder. “Let’s get that finger cleaned up before you turn into a werecat.”\n\nSteve scoffed. “I should really help Bucky put the plates away.” \n\n“Oh my gosh!” Clint exclaimed sarcastically. “You’ll be away from your hubby for like…five minutes. Chill, man.” Clint dragged Steve up the curved staircase. \n\nSteve looked around the room, admiring the large bed in the middle and the “his and his” matching mahogany dressers along the far side of the room. Steve loved the large, circular window behind the bed. At night he and Bucky could look out and feel like they were camping. Bucky was always one for the outdoors. Steve was convinced that, in addition to the yard, was a high selling point for Bucky. \n\n“Like the room?” Bruce asked, showcasing it off with his hands.\n\n“It’s great. Thank you so, so much Bruce.” Steve clapped the man on the shoulder. \n\n“No problem. Gonna finish up in the bathroom and then I’ll be down to help with the first floor.”\n\nClint came out of the bathroom, holding a band-aid for Steve, his eyes glinting knowingly as he’d just walked by the green tub of sex toys. “Here ya go, Steve.”\n\n“Thanks, man,” Steve said, opening the bandage and wrapping it gently along the wound. He should have probably washed it or put Neosporin on, but oh well; it was already on. He knew Pietro wasn’t diseased; at least he assumed not. Pietro was acting rather strange. If Steve craned his neck into the balcony of the hallway, he could still hear Pietro growling in the back of his throat. \n\n“Imma help Bucky in the kitchen. You two keep up the good work, yeah?” \n\nBruce walked into the bathroom. Clint and Steve hovered by the bathroom door, watching the man open the green tub. “Jesus!” Bruce said, jumping and taking a step back.\n\nClint burst out laughing. Steve followed suit; though his cheeks were a bit red from embarrassment as he chuckled much softer. \n\n“The fuck you and Bucky do at night? Do you even sleep?” Bruce asked. He shoved the bin into the bedroom. “I am absolutely not touching this tub.” \n\n“Oh man!” Clint said, wiping a tear from his eye. “We’re so sorry. This was all Steve’s idea. I was gonna warn you!”\n\nBruce threw a pink dildo at Steve’s face. \n\n“That’s been up my ass, Banner!” Steve laughed as he caught the dildo in his hands. \n\nBruce lunged to wash his hands. Steve erupted into a fit of soft giggles. “You’re too easy to tease.”\n\n“You’re a filthy animal,” Bruce said back. \n\n“GOD DAMN IT!” someone shouted from downstairs.\n \nSteve turned, his lips parting as he furrowed his brow in confusion. “Bucky?” he said into the air. “Hey, Imma check on Buck. Come downstairs when you’re done.”\n\nClint and Bruce exchanged looks of concern but stayed in the bathroom to finish unpacking.\n\nSteve ran down the stairs, looking over to Pietro in his cat carrier as he hissed loudly. “Hey, Pietro! It’s just me!” He jogged through the long dining room and into the kitchen. \n\nBucky was on his knees, cradling one of the china pieces that his grandma had given him for a wedding gift. Steve’s heart shattered, just like the pieces of porcelain glass that now dotted the cream-colored, tiled floor. \n\nSteve wanted to [[drop to his knees]] and pull Bucky into a hug, but he also wanted to [[say something to cheer him up.]] \n

Bucky shoved a heel into her body, watching her explode into swirling smoke around him. He was soaking wet, shivering and bleeding but that didn't stop him from running as fast as he could. He ran from the bathroom, from his room and down the hall.\n\nGhost were real. Ghosts were very real and they were here... And they'd killed Bruce. \n\nIn the hall someone kept whispering in his ear, "He's gonna kill you, he's gonna kill you, he's gonna kill you!"\n\nHe tumbled down the last few steps, scampering up and running into the living room, sopping wet and shivering.\n\n"Bucky!" Steve exclaimed. "Baby, are you okay?! You're, you're wet!"\n\nBucky looked down at himself. "She's here, Steve, Steve that girl, she's not a girl. I saw her! She's a fuckin' ghost! I swear to fuckin' God, baby she's a fuckin' ghost!" He collapsed into Steve's arms, sobbing into his husband's shoulder. "She's real. Oh my God, she's real. She...she said someone's gonna kill me!"\n\n"What?" Natasha gasped. "What the fuck kind of sick joke is this, Bucky?!"\n\n"IT'S NOT A JOKE!" Bucky screamed, his body quaking in fear. "I FUCKIN' SAW HER! She tried to lock me in the fuckin' bathroom!"\n\nSomething creaked above them, following by a loud shattering. \n\nClint grabbed Natasha, wrapping his arms around her as she gasped breathlessly into the air. \n\n"The cops comin'?" Clint asked. \n\n"We need to go," Bucky demanded. "We need to fuckin' go."\n\n"WE CAN'T LEAVE BRUCE!" shouted Tony. He was panting and his eyes were red from crying. "I won't leave him."\n\n"Fuck you, Stark!" Bucky wailed. "He's dead! We'll get his body tomorrow!" \n\n"Steve," Tony began. "Don't do this. Ghosts aren't real. Bucky's just scared."\n\n"SHE BASHED MY HEAD INTO THE WALL, TONY!"\n\n"Or you slipped and your mind's fucking with you!" Tony countered. "There is no science to support ghosts!"\n\nSteve hovered there, staring at Bucky and then looking back to Tony. "We should...we should protect ourselves. We can't leave, baby," Steve said, turning to Bucky. "But we can protect ourselves." \n\n"Why the FUCK can't we leave," Bucky growled. "Doll baby, please! Please don't do this to me!" He was tugging at Steve's arm, trying desperately to convince Steve to see fucking reason. "Please, please, please, baby, please. Look at my fucking face!"\n\nSteve whined, gingerly touching Bucky's gash on his head. "I see it baby. But we can't leave Bruce." Looking around, Steve continued, "We should protect ourselves. We can bunker down with bats in the parlor."\n\n"Bats against a ghost, Steve?" Clint quipped. "Seriously?"\n\n"We could get salt?" Natasha offered. "Always works on Supernatural." Her voice was calm, yet Bucky could see how badly her fingers were trembling.\n\n"Fine," Steve said. "Salt and bats. I'm not takin' any chances in case someone's just fucking with us."\n\n"Bruce is DEAD!" Tony rumbled. "And you wanna play ghosthunter? There is no such thing!" \n\n"Tony," Steve pleaded. "We'll stay till the police arrive and then we leave."\n\nTony huffed, his nostrils flaring. "Whatever."\n\n[[Hunker down in the parlor with bats and salt]].

“Let’s make sure the nerds aren’t freaking themselves out too,” Steve suggested as they closed the basement door. Steve felt something brush against his leg. Jumping, he looked down frantically scanning the floor.\n\n“What?” Bucky asked, looking around too.\n\n“I thought maybe the cat just zipped by.”\n\n“I didn’t see him. I wanna go out and get him now.”\n\n“I wanna check on Bruce. I’m worried about him. And that door down there.”\n\nBucky grimaced, licking his lips. “What’s happening, Steve?”\n\nSteve pulled Bucky into a hug, cupping his hand against the back of Bucky’s skull. “I don’t know, baby. But it’ll be okay. We always figure it out.”\n\n“Go check on them. I’m gonna go see if I can find that girl or Pietro.”\n\n“Hold your horses, baby, just wait!” Steve exclaimed, wrapping his hand around Bucky’s. “It’ll just be a second.”\n\nTogether they found Bruce and Tony in the parlor. Bruce was on the couch, gasping for air with Tony patting his back.\n\n“What happened?” Bucky asked, coming to kneel before Bruce.\n\n“He shouldn’t have started walking around,” Tony explained. “I’m gonna get him back on the couch and put him to bed. Nothing’s here anyway.”\n\nBucky nodded. “Do you need any help?”\n\n“Sure.”\n\nTony and Bucky helped get Bruce back over to the couch. They wrapped him up in thick blankets. Tony stayed at Bruce’s feet, wrapping fingers around the outline of Bruce’s shin. \n\n“I’m not dying!” Bruce wailed, annoyed. “Just got the shit scared out of me.”\n\n“Yeah about that,” Bucky began. “We saw the door down there. That thing’s bolted shut.”\n\nBruce’s eyes went round. “No,” he said. “I saw where I was. I know I was in another room.”\n\n“Bruce,” Natasha cooed softly, joining the group with Clint. “We know something happened, but maybe the details got caught somewhere? You clearly suffered some kind of massive episode.”\n\n“No!” Bruce protested. “I’m not delusional. I saw a boy. I know what happened!”\n\n“Okay, okay,” Tony cooed. “Let’s just get you settled in for the night. I’ll stay with you and keep an eye out, okay?”\n\n“I think me n’ Nat are gonna turn in,” Clint detailed. “We’ve had enough of today.”\n\nSteve nodded, pressing his lips together. “Sounds good. I’m still going outside with Bucky and then we’ll do the same. Those kids are probably gone, but we wanna make sure.”\n\n“And find Pietro,” Bucky added.\n\nSteve wrapped an arm around Bucky’s shoulders, bringing him close so he could kiss his temple. “Yes, and find Pietro.”\n\n“Hope you find him, Bucky,” Natasha said, offering a soft smile as she and Clint turned to go back upstairs, they paused though, lingering in the hall. \n\n“You sure you wanna come with me in the rain? You could just go upstairs with them.”\n\n[[assist Bucky]] [[go upstairs and wait]]\n

Steve picked up a large, heavy box, making his way toward the porch. “Wanna hurry up with that couch?”\n\nBucky contorted his face into a look of mock sympathy. “Aw, my poor, baby, Steve wants to get inside so he can look around and slack off more.” Bucky set the couch down, quickly retying his hair up in a messy bun, letting Tony flip it on its side so they could get it through the door. Bucky squeezed Steve’s cheeks together, making his mouth bunch up. “I love you.”\n\nSteve leaned in, giving Bucky a light kiss. “I love you too.”\n\n“Oh please, if I see any more adorable flirting I’m going to start vomiting rainbows and puppies.”\n\n“I like puppies,” Bucky said; shrugging. He jumped, turning to face Steve completely. “We should get a dog!” His crystal-blue eyes went round in excitement. “Steve! We could get that Rhodesian ridgeback you’ve always wanted!” \n\nSteve laughed, nodding. “We could! Where’s your cat? Speaking of?”\n\n“I got him,” Natasha said. She placed the cat carrier down. As if on cue, the Persian cat meowed angrily. Clearly he wasn’t thrilled about moving. \n\n“Pietro’s not having any of this shit,” Bucky giggled. “Oh hey, Nat!” Bucky dug into his black, skinny jeans for a wad of crumpled bills. “Do you care about goin’ to the store to grab Pietro some food? Pick up some beer and shit?”\n\n“I wanted to pick up some junk food for tonight as well,” Tony said. “If you don’t wanna go, I can.”\nSteve shrugged; he didn’t see any difference between [[Natasha]] grabbing beer or [[Tony]] going. \n

Steve leaned back on the kitchen sink. Furrowing his brow when he thought he saw someone watching him from the sun room. They were small and looked like a child. He opened his mouth, licking at the corner of his lips as he moved from the kitchen and over to the bonus room. It was built much later than the rest of the house and its walls were made of glass. He stepped inside, looking around to see no one.\n\nSomething brushed by his leg, causing him to yelp. He caught the door before crashing to the floor and looked down. “What the fuck?” he breathed out. Below, wet, tiny footprints dotted the room but stopped once out in the hall. He bent down, touching one of them. “Huh?”\n\n“What're you doing?” a voice came behind him.\n\n“Jesus!” Steve shouted as he crashed to the floor, whipping around to see Natasha and another person behind her. “Nat. Don't fucking scare me like that.”\n\nNatasha cocked a brow, stepping to the side to put her hand on the man behind her. “Sam stopped by!”\n\nSam waved, pulling out his other arm from behind him to reveal flowers. “Brought a housewarming gift.”\n\nSteve swallowed hard, putting his hand over his chest to feel his racing heart. He stood up, taking it slow , listening to his knees pop. “Thanks, Sam. Here, I'll put 'em in water.”\n\n“This house is gorgeous,” Sam commented as they walked into the kitchen. “I can't believe you and Bucky got so lucky.”\n\n“Yeah well, someone had to die unfortunately for it to be priced so low,” Steve responded bluntly. He saw Bucky, Bruce, Tony and Clint over in the dining room all huddled together.\n\n“Sorry man,” Sam said as he placed his hand on Steve's shoulder. “They had a beautiful home.”\n\nSteve shrugged, plopping the flowers into the water and turning to go into the dining room. “What're you all doing in there?” he asked.\n\n“Bucky found some weird shit in the pond,” Tony stated.\n\n“Weird shit?” Sam echoed, walking across the room.\n\nSteve followed behind, pressing his lips together as he looked down at the dining room table. There was a dress, all wet and spread out with a few chains. “Bucky!” Steve scolded. “You're gonna stain the wood.”\n\n“Sorry,” Bucky mumbled as he picked the soggy dress up. “This thing just freaked me the fuck out when I was outside.”\n\n“I'll say,” Tony agreed before whistling. “See a floating dress in a pond? Do you think someone was...gettin' it on with this kid?”\n\n“It's the size of a child!” Bruce exclaimed. “Tony, seriously?”\n\n“Well why else would a dress be out in the pond!”\n\n“Seriously, gentlemen,” Natasha huffed as she grabbed the dress from Bucky. “It's just an old dress. Throw it away.”\n\n“No wait!” Steve said, holding his hand out to stop her. “I thought I– there was–”\n\n“There was what, Steve?” Bucky asked, chewing his bottom lip. He looked visibly disturbed. \n\nSteve sighed, running his hand over his face. \nHe really should [[tell them about the girl]] but maybe he didn’t see [[anything at all]].\n

Steve walked into the bathroom. He hovered near the sink, staring at the shower stall. There was a trail of blood down the tile. Steve moved closer, wincing when he saw the broken tile pieces on the floor. “He hit hard.” \n\nNatasha leaned in, blinking. “I don’t know if he could do that to himself.” \n\n“I didn’t—” Steve stopped himself. He sucked in a deep breath. He came in here because he didn’t truly believe Bucky. He wanted to, oh how he wanted to. But ghosts? Killer ghosts? Those were things of horror films. He didn’t want it to be real. \n\n“You’re allowed to be scared, Steve.” Natasha put her hand on Steve’s shoulder. “I am.” \n\n“I’m scared shitless.” Steve stood up, staring at the blood in the shower. “But I’m more upset that I’ve fucked up so much tonight.”\n\nNatasha leaned on the sink, pursing her lips. She looked at him in her unique way. She could pry out his deepest secrets with that look. \n\n“I love Bucky.”\n\n“I know.”\n\n“That whole Thor thing? Remember? When he tried to get me to cheat?”\n\nNatasha kept silent.\n \nSteve took in a deep breath. His arms were vibrating. “I considered it.” \n\n“Jesus, Steve!” Natasha peeled herself from the counter, walking toward the door. She stopped, bunching up her face. “You’ve got the perfect husband.”\n\n“I know that! But he wasn’t home and I got scared that he and—”\n\n“He and who, Steve?” Natasha glared. Steve trembled in his spot. He’d dug himself into this spot. The guilt about Bruce, the guilt about chasing Tony away. The guilt about even THINKING that Steve could be with someone else when he had someone as perfect as Bucky? It was eating at him, every day it took a part of his soul away. He needed to come clean. \n\n“You,” Steve whispered. \n\nNatasha snarled. She turned around, sighing. “I’m pregnant you asshole.” \n\nSteve’s mouth dropped open.\n\n“And seeing as I don’t entertain the idea of cheating, I know it’s Clint’s. Bucky is my best friend. You doubt his loyalty ever again, and I’ll rip your throat out.” She walked out of the room. “C’mon. I hear somethin’ upstairs.”\n\nSteve hung his head. He was losing more than just the lives of his friends tonight. He was losing any respect Natasha had for him. He tried to do right by them all. He tried to do what’s best, serve his community and he even tried to be a good husband. He considered cheating. He never actually did it. It was a moment of weakness when he was at his most vulnerable. He didn’t believe Bucky was capable of hurting him like that now. But back then, it almost seemed real. \n\n“Steve, c’mon! Clint n’ Buck’re coming up with me!” \n\nSteve looked into the mirror, thinking he’d only see his pathetic self.\n\nWhat he saw was the glimpse of a man with sad eyes, and a tiny girl, smiling with blood in her mouth… He blinked and she was gone. He turned around, looking into the empty bathroom. “Get it together, man.” Steve left the room.\n\nHe just wanted Bucky in his arms and to keep[[searching for Tony]].\n

Bucky woke up on the couch. His head was bandaged, throbbing, but bandaged. Sunlight peered into the room, digging into Bucky’s eyes. He groaned, reaching up to block the rays. “Shit.” \n\nHe moved slowly, sitting up. The blanket pooled around him. He was in clean pajamas. The room was empty, the whole house quiet. He looked at the clock on the TV—barely 8am. “Did we do it?”\n\nHe stumbled off the couch, pulling the blanket around him as he walked into the kitchen. “Steve? Hey Steve!” He walked through the house, listening to its creaking and moaning. Everything was deathly still. He heard a phone chirp. It nearly lunged him out of his skin. He turned toward the noise, going back into the living room. Steve’s phone was on the charger. There was a text from Sam. \n\nBucky entered the passcode, reading the text: Clint and Nat just got here. The roads aren't flooded anymore. Can I swing by?\n\nHe set the phone back down, looking around the house. What happened after he got Steve out of the chair? Did they make all the right decisions? He walked into the foyer, looking over into the parlor. Everything was clean and nothing out of place, even Pietro was lounging in the sun. Bucky scratched his chin, staring at the windows. Sunlight spilled into the room. It was almost magical except Bucky felt like he was being watched. The back of his neck shivered. \n\nHe moved toward the stairs, moving sluggishly up the steps. Each step seemed to creak louder and louder. “Hey Steve?”\n\nHe got to the top of the balcony and stared down the hallway. Even in the light, the house still terrified him. At least he could see the hallway. He moved through it, looking into the bathroom and then knocking on the master bedroom’s door. \n\n“Bucky?”\n\nBucky opened the door, jumping into Steve’s arms. “STEVE!” \n\nSteve was cold, his skin sweaty. He caught Bucky easily all the same.\n\n“Jesus Christ Steve! What happened?! After I got you out? What happened?”\n\nSteve looked to Bucky, his eyes darker than usual. \n\n“Steve?” Bucky cupped his husband’s face. “You feelin’ okay?”\n\nSteve blinked, then offered a strange smile that didn’t meet his eyes. “Long night.” \n\n“Tell me about it.” Bucky adjusted in Steve’s arms. He tried to pull away, but Steve grasped him firmer. “H—okay there tiger. Easy now.”\n\n“I love you so much,” Steve said. His eyes were void, like the light diverted away from them. He stared blankly at Bucky, blinking at an alarmingly slow rate.\n\n“You feel okay?” Bucky asked, bringing his hand to Steve’s forehead. \n\n“Never better. We did it.” \n\n“Beat the ghost?” \n\nSteve nodded. His movement was jerky. Bucky tried to move back, but Steve’s arms squeezed around him again. “Why do you keep trying to leave me?” \n\nBucky gulped, looking around. “I just want to pee.” \n\n“You’re lying.” \n\n“Steve, stop—you’re scaring me.” Bucky pulled back again, but Steve stood up with him, reaching up and grabbing his chin. He shoved Bucky into the wall. His face didn’t even move a muscle. \n\n“What’s wrong Bucky?” Steve tilted his head. “Don’t like the choice you made?”\n\n“Where’s Steve!?” Bucky struggled, violently jerking but Steve was too powerful. He held Bucky against the wall like glue to paper. \n\n“Right here. You put us together.” Steve moved closer, grabbing Bucky’s wrists and pinning them above his head. “You trusted him.” \n\nDon’t trust him…don’t trust him…don’t trust him… \n\nTears welled up in Bucky’s eyes. He gasped, jerking desperately. “W-what do you mean?” \n\nSteve picked Bucky up by the throat, letting his hands drop. Bucky had no choice but to use his hands to keep from strangling on Steve’s grip. He kicked his feet uselessly in the air, watching with eyes wide with terror. “T-Tony n—Bruce! Nat! Where?!” \n\n“They’re safe. I sent them home when I didn’t need them anymore. I never wanted them, Bucky. Yours was always the strongest.” \n\nBucky gasped, trying to kick Steve. Useless. He was like lead weight. \n\nPain bloomed in Bucky’s ass. He choked out bile and the world went white. Doubled over, he gasped for air, tears pushing from his eyes. “W-why?” He looked up, blinking through tear-filled eyes. “Where’s Steve?” He was desperate. The only shred of hope, lingering on dusty, threadbare stitches. Panic started to set in, clouding his judgement. \n\n“I am Steve.” He picked Bucky up again, throwing him into the wall and backhanding him. “And when he wakes up to see what he’s done, oh won’t that be a fun sight.” \n\nFear’s never really felt like this before. There’s no anger, there’s no sadness. Memories flashed through Bucky’s head. He thought of Steve’s twenty-first birthday, the first time they kissed. He thought of the day they met. He remembered Tony’s bickering, Bruce’s big words and Nat’s perfect makeup… Fear’s never looked so animated before—but it’d all played before Bucky’s eyes as he tried to claw away from Steve. \n\nSteve dragged Bucky by the ankles, yanking when Bucky clutched the dresser. Bucky yelped, feeling his joins pop. Steve swung him into the wall again, this time by the window.\n\nBucky gasped one more time before Steve’s hand was around his throat and he slid him over to the window.\n\n“Thank you for trusting your husband, Bucky. My daughter really loved the show. You have such love for him. It'll keep me strong for centuries.” \n\nIce penetrated into Bucky’s head, he screamed, flailing wildly. Thoughts still filtering with Steve’s smile, his kiss, the way he blushed when Bucky told him he was pretty—their sleepy love professions—their wishes of a full life together. \n\nBucky didn't think about death, though he knew it was happening. He could feel it coil around his heart, caressing it gently, like an old friend. It was comforting, knowing at least now he didn't have to fear the end. It was already here. Blood loss hurt. His stomach rushed cold, his eyes got splotchy. He couldn't feel the pain, though he could see the glass dancing around him, catching the light from the sun.\n\nHe thought it was beautiful… all those sparkling rays shimmering off the edges of flying glass. The world seemed to slow down as he was thrust over and over again into the windowsill. His eyes slowly focusing on Steve. \n\nHe thought Steve looked beautiful. \n\nAnd then he [[thought no more]].\n

"I think it's important to reach out again," Bucky said. "I mean, if she's helpin' us. We need to know why, or maybe we can get some research outta her too."\n\n"That sounds good," Natasha said, smiling softly. "We'll watch your back?"\n\n"Yeah."\n\n--\n\nBucky stood at the backdoor, his fingers trembling. His friends were behind him, watching with round eyes and tense shoulders. Ghosts… Fucking ghosts… Wrong choices, right choices. Bucky whimpered. He didn’t want to die here. That cop had been brutalized. \n\nHe opened the backdoor, shocked it actually opened. The rain was lightening up. He walked along the soft grass, squelching the rain-soaked earth below him. \n\n“Oh God what am I doing?” he said to himself. He marched right up to the pond. A girl died here. He turned around, looking at Steve. He was in the doorway, watching. \n\n“Okay—uh—girl.” Bucky fiddled with his hands. “I need to know what’s happening. Do we save you? Do we help you or something? You n’ I got some kinda connection?”\n\nNothing. \n\n“Jesus.” He turned around, waving at Steve, who promptly waved back. Natasha rolled her eyes. It was comforting to see. Bucky was glad she stayed. He felt if she'd gone... well that would've been such a wrong decision.\n\n“I don’t wanna die. I—I know you probably didn’t want to either. It ain’t fair, is it?” Bucky sat down, wincing when his fresh boxers started soaking through. “I’m sorry for what happened to you.” He looked out over the pond, aware of the hairs on the back of his neck. Terror clung to his skin like sap to a tree. “I just wanna help.” \n\n‘Don’t trust him.’\n\nBucky blinked, looking around in the darkness. Trees swayed like hanging dead. He turned back to see Steve and friends in the doorway again. \n\n‘Don’t trust him.’\n\n“Who?” Bucky was sure he heard something that time. He waited for a long time, the rain soaking through his clothes. When his feet started to tingle, he decided she wasn’t going to talk anymore. Bucky stood, sighing. \n\n“Anything?” Steve asked as Bucky entered the house, sopping wet. \n\n“I dunno. I’m not even sure I heard somethin’ or if it was just the trees.”\n\n“What was it?” Bruce asked. \n\n“Told me not to trust someone.”\n\nTony scoffed. “Go figure. She didn’t decide to tell us where the evil bones are? Or how to break the curse or whatever? C’mon, let’s just get out of here. I’m not gonna sit around and wait to get my face chopped off.” \n\n“Tony,” Steve said, authority rumbling in his chest. “She said we had to stay.” \n\n“Maybe Clint had the right idea?"\n\nClint shrugged, shrinking back into Nat's embrace.\n\nSteve rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. “We have to trust Bucky on this. We're all together, so that's good at least.”\n\n“Why?” Tony asked, backing up toward the living room. “Because some little girl shows up for him but none of us? C’mon, Steve!” \n\n“I trust him.” \n\n“Whatever.” Tony turned around, moving toward the coat closet. “I’m outtie.” \n\nBucky was shivering. Steve grabbed an extra hoodie after Tony was finished in the closet, offering it to Bucky sheepishly. \n\n“Got any pants down here too?” Bucky asked. \n\n“Sorry.” \n\nSteve’s phone chirped. Everyone halted to stare at it, eyes going increasingly wider. Bruce swallowed thickly, watching the phone like a demon would sprout at any second. \n“Ya gonna get that?” Tony asked.\n\nSteve walked over to the phone, sighing in relief. “It’s Sam.” \n\nBucky moved into the kitchen, peeling off his wet clothes as he listened to Steve’s voice. He’d have to wear his pants until he was brave enough to get new ones upstairs. So much for talking to the girl again. \n\n“Sam? Slow down! Slow the fuck down! What happened?!” \n\nBucky ran out of the kitchen, clinging to the archway as he watched Bruce and Tony crowd Steve more. Steve’s eyes were wide, but other than that, he looked relitively calm. \n\n“What?” Bucky asked. No one looked his way.\n\n“God, well then how the fuck are... We're all here, yeah."\n\n"What is it?" Bucky asked, leaning into Natasha.\n\n"Don't ask me. I can't hear shit."\n\n"The river's overflooded. No one can get to the house." Steve scratched his forehead. "Sam was tryin' to surprise us, but he got lost so he just wanted to let us know he's at the Motel 8 in town."\n\n“Oh,” Bruce said, blinking. “At least he's okay.” \n\nBucky looked up, seeing a dark shadow move—like a man—casual and away from them into the foyer. \n\nHe grit his teeth, anger bubbling inside, putrid and noxious. He wouldn’t sit here like a duck. He’d fight. Hearing how no one could come and save them? They were on their own and Bucky was tired of waiting around. He needed to [[just confront all this]].\n

“We should probably see where everyone else is at and check on Bruce,” Steve said as he walked to the front door, opening it for Bucky. “I’ll be right back.” He scooted through the hall, passing under the curved stairway to the small powder room under the stairs. He stared at himself in the mirror, licking his lips slowly. That girl had been out there, right? She’d seen them, right? What kind of girl grabs a man’s pants and takes off like that? Unless it wasn't a girl at all. Unless it was...\n\nSteve gripped the sink, his eyes straining against the sockets. Ghosts weren't real. Ghosts weren't real. Ghosts weren't real. \n\nHe quickly washed himself up, startling when the door swung open to expose Bucky with a cocked brow. “You good?” Bucky asked.\n\n“You just freaked me out.” Steve leaned around Bucky, snatching a pair of sweats he’d left on the towel rack. “I’m just getting spooked is all.” He leaned on the wall and slipped the pants on.\n\nBucky snorted, going over to the toilet. “Sorry.”\n\nSteve finished cleaning himself off and turned around, watching Bucky flush the toilet. “Do you think she’ll tell her parents what she saw?”\n\nBucky shrugged, moving to the sink. “Scooch over. And I dunno. I don’t really care. This is private property and she was runnin' around it like it was hers.” It was easier to play along as if this girl wasn't some ghost. People used to get locked in mental hospitals for believing in ghosts. It wasn't logical, but Steve still couldn't shake the tingle at the base of his spine or the way his skin pulled at his bones too tightly.\n\n“Maybe she took my pants cause she thought it'd be funny,” Steve said, lips pouted. \n\nBucky sighed, pulling Steve’s face to his and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Maybe. But let’s go. See what the others are doing.”\n\n“Yeah.”\n\nComing back into the living room was like walking into space itself. Everyone was dead silent. Tony was rocking back and forth, holding Bruce in his arms. \n\n"We didn't see any girl outside," Bucky said. \n\n"B-Bruce," Natasha ventured, her voice strained. Her eyes were glassy and red-rimmed. \n\nSteve took a step closer, seeing the tears that slipped from Tony's eyes. "Tony?"\n\n"He was so cold," Tony whimpered. "He was so cold and I tried to keep him warm. I tried. His lips got all blue and I tried."\n\nClint stood near the window, his brow furrowed. He sniffed angirly. \n\n"W-what?" Bucky moved around the couch. He stared down, his eyes wide. Steve watched his fingers hover near his quivering lips. "Oh my God."\n\nNo...\n\nNo...\n\nSteve's heart froze as cold as Bruce's body. He moved like cement enveloped his feet, but rounded the couch to see Bruce with pale lips and closed eyes. "Is he...? Is he? Oh my God." Steve gasped, falling into Bucky's arms. Even the warmth of Bucky's body did notthing to lessen the chill that gripped Steve's heart.\n\n"He died when you two were outside," Natasha said. "I was gonna tell you but..." She shrugged. "I saw what you were doing."\n\nSteve had never felt so much guilt as he did right now. It drowned out his heart, clogged his ears and made his nerves go numb. While he was outside with Bucky in a stupid moment of passion, Bruce was taking his last breaths. He was dying and Steve and Bucky were outside fucking! He'd never forgive himself. He'd never let himself ever forget. \n\nBucky made a gurgled whimper in the back of his throat. He covered his mouth, tears streaming from his eyes. "Oh my God."\n\n"What do we do?" Clint asked. "Do we call the cops? You're a cop, Steve, what the fuck do we do?!" \n\nSteve could hear the strain in Clint's voice. He was on the verge of a breakdown. His arms trembling as he clenched them to his ribs. He'd breakdown soon enough. Bruce was one of their best friends. They were all best friends. And now...Bruce was...\n\nDead.\n\n"Protocol dictates..." Steve couldn't bring himself to keep speaking. He stared at Bruce's lifeless body, scanning his gaze over blue-tipped fingers. How'd he get so cold? It wasn't possible.\n\nThat girl.\n\n"We dial 911," Steve said. "Bucky? Can you call? My phone was in my jeans." \n\n"Where're your jeans?" Tony snapped. "Did you lose them when you decided it'd be a great idea to fuck outside while Bruce was dying?!"\n\n"Hey!" Bucky snapped, pointing at Tony. He barred his teeth, eyes burning. "We didn't know! We were lookin' for that girl!"\n\n"In each other's assholes?!" Tony exclaimed. "BRUCE WAS DYING AND YOU WEREN'T HERE!"\n\nBucky stumbled back, pressing a hand to his chest. "I know, Tony! I fuckin' know!" Bucky took in a wet deep breath before walking into the foyer with his phone.\n\nSteve's mouth dropped open but no words came to him. He'd been outside, pleasuring himself while Bruce was terrified and dying. He probably struggled to breathe andbeen so uncomfortable. Steve had been selfish, indulging in his husband. Steve just wanted to get the feeling of being watched away. He wanted some kind of normalcy to his life again but that was snuffed out with Bruce's life. \n\nBruce Banner was dead. \n\n[[POV Switch Bucky]]

"We should let him cool down, Buck." Steve leaned against the wall, tapping his bat on his boot. "His best friend just died. That deserves some space."\n\n"We'll get him after," Clint said. "He just needs a minute, okay dude?"\n\nBucky grimaced, shaking his head. \n\n“Okay.” Steve sighed. He could practically hear the whip in his head as he made up his mind. “I’ll get him.” Steve was letting the whole situation grip him by the spine and yank him. He was on edge, Bucky was barely holding himself together (and rightfully so) and even Clint and Natasha looked like were about to shatter into a thousand pieces. Steve kissed Bucky on the forehead, smiling against his hairline. Bucky always smelled so good, like soap and autumn mornings. \n\nBucky squeezed Steve’s hand but he didn’t take his gaze off the front door. “Okay,” he answered hoarsely. “Thank you, doll. Maybe we should all go. What if she's up there?”\n\nThey sat there in complete silence, everyone looking distantly off into some corner of the room attempting to avoid the conversation as long as possible. Steve kept his head against Bucky’s. He felt if he let up even the smallest bit that he’d fall into the sky and be swallowed by the blackness of the universe. “Then I'll scream,” Steve whispered. \n\nBucky squeezed his hand. "Fuck that, Steve!"\n\n“We should all go,” Nat stood up, dusting off her pants. \n\n“I just wanna get Tony and leave,” Bucky said.\n\nSteve flinched, listening to someone running upstairs. “What’s that?” \n\n“Tony?” Clint's voice held more hope than his face did. \n\n“We need to check,” Natasha gasped, “oh my God what if…”\n\nThey all stood up, running for the stairs. Steve gripped his bat a bit tighter. He didn’t know if a bat would do anything against whatever was in his house but it brought him a small semblance of comfort and he’d take it. \n\n“TONY!” Steve shouted. “I can’t see shit!”\n\n“Here,” Bucky said, pressing a lighter into Steve’s palm. \n\nSteve flicked the lighter on, holding it out in front of him. He reached the master bedroom and the door slammed on his face. “Tony?” Steve called, breathing faster, feeling his fingers turn to ice. “TONY!”\n\n“TONY, OPEN THE DOOR!” Clint moved to shove his body against it but the door held. “Fuck. Tony!”\n\nThey all started shouting Tony’s name. Steve grit his teeth, rearing back and throwing all of his weight into the door to knock it from the hinges. The door groaned, falling away and tumbling to the side. \n\n“Tony!” Steve called, looking around.\n\n“Where?” Bucky asked, looking around the room. He ran into the bathroom. “Shit! He’s not here!” He turned around, coming to walk out of the bathroom when the doors slammed on him. Bucky’s voice erupted in screams as he pounded on the door.\n\n“BUCKY!” Steve yelled, leaping over the bed and slamming himself over and over into the bathroom door. The door wasn’t budging, not even groaning. “BUCKY! BUCKY HANG ON, BABY!” His whole body was on fire. He saw red. Vivid images of Bucky’s panicked face as tears ran down his cheeks. He saw blood, angry ghosts and his husband strung up and left for dead. His soul practically pulled from his body, willing the door to move and yet it wouldn’t.\n\n“STEVE! STEVE OH MY GOD, STEVE GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT!” Bucky shrieked, slamming himself on the other side of the door. “SHE’S IN HERE! SHE’S IN HERE, OH MY GOD!”\n\nClint and Nat came over, banging and kicking the door.\n\nScratching noises hissed against the door, Bucky’s screams became inaudible and broken. There was a scuffle on the other side of the door, but Steve couldn’t quite make out why. Tears were streaming down his face as he beat his shoulder blue, trying to get the door off.\n\n“Steve!” The dresser!” Natasha shouted as she started pulling drawers out of it.\n\nSteve ran over, grabbing one and throwing it as hard as he could against the door. The door finally snapped open. He reached in, grabbing the handle and pushing it open. “Bucky! Bucky, oh my God!” Steve ran over to Bucky, slumped on the floor with blood all over his already-gashed face. He cupped Bucky’s cheek, seeing the scratch marks all over and around his eyes.\n \n“St-Steve,” Bucky whimpered, falling against Steve’s chest. “Steve, she wants to kill us, she’s gonna kill us! I don’t wanna die, I don’t wanna die, I don’t wanna die!”\n\nSteve wrapped himself around Bucky, sobbing into his shoulder. Nat kneeled before them, taking a washcloth and dabbing it against Bucky’s face.\n\n“Please, I don’t wanna die,” Bucky clutched Steve's bicep. “Please, please I don’t wanna die.” \n\n“You’re not gonna die, baby,” Steve cooed. “We’re gonna leave. The police are gonna be here and we’re gonna leave.”\n\n“Where’s Tony?” Natasha finally asked. “We need to find Tony.”\n\n“Shit,” Clint growled. “Fuck this. Fuck all of this!” He kicked the wall, over and over and over until Natasha came over and he collapsed into her arms, crying into her chest. She wrapped her arms around him, petting his hair.\n\n“We have to find Tony,” Nat said, more demanding this time. “WE HAVE TO FIND TONY!”\n\n“Okay!” Steve snapped. “Just…give me a FUCKING minute!” Steve was unraveling. His soul was snapping into a thousand pieces and all he wanted to do was give everything he had to his husband. Bucky was in shambles, both blood and tears streamed from his eyes as he wailed into Steve. Everyone was coming undone and Steve was doing no better than anyone else. This was real. \n\nThis was happening.\n\nTheir house was haunted and a ghost was trying to kill them.\n\n“We could go find him,” Natasha said. “Me n’ Clint can find Tony.”\n\n“No,” Bucky muttered. “We need to stick together.”\n\n“It doesn’t matter if we’re together or apart!” Natasha complained. “This thing wants us and it’ll do whatever it needs to do it!\n\n“We fucking STICK TOGETHER!” Bucky shrieked. He was breathing hard, desperate, like every moment may be the one where his lungs finally exploded. “We stick the fuck together.”\n\n“Okay.” Clint sighed, clawing his fingers through his hair. “But we do need to find Tony.”\n\nSomething started to creak slowly above them in the attic, slow, tender steps. They all looked up. Steve couldn’t stop the tears that slipped from his eyes. “Something’s in the attic.”\n\n“D’you think it’s Tony?” Clint asked. “It could be.”\n\n“Clint,” Natasha stated, grabbing his hand. “They have a drop ladder. If it was Tony the ladder would be down.”\n\nSteve helped Bucky stand. His face still smeared with blood but at least the wounds weren’t freely bleeding anymore. “Can you do this? Just till the police get here, baby.”\n\n“I don’t wanna die,” Bucky whispered. “Steve, I don’t want you to go.”\n\n“We’re not gonna die.” Steve swallowed, hoping the intensity of his gaze was all the hope Bucky needed to know how serious he was. He didn't plan on dying today. “We’re gonna make it out of here. We’re not giving up. Okay? We’re gonna fight. Together.”\n\nBucky nodded, swallowing thickly. “Let’s find Tony.”\n\nThey lit every candle they could find along the way to the drop ladder. Bucky stayed back with Natasha but Clint, and Steve were in the front. Steve reached up, slowly opening the slip door and bringing the ladder down. \n\n“I’ll go first?” Clint asked. \n\n“Okay, but I’m right behind you,” Bucky stated. “I’m not gonna let this thing control me.” \n\nSteve’s heart squeezed, swirling in his chest till it was dragged along the bottom of his stomach. Bucky was shaking and fear was etched so tightly against his eyes that Steve was afraid they’d shatter. “You don’t have to do this. You can wait with Nat.”\n\n“I’m not gonna roll over. Not anymore,” Bucky growled. He brushed by Natasha and waited for Clint before he started to climb up the ladder, Steve right behind him. He flicked on his lighter as the group moved about the attic. \n\nIt was dusty and smelled faintly of rotting wood but what stood out the most was a chair with the form of a man on it. \n\n“Tony?” Clint asked. “Shit it’s a mess.”\n\nSteve’s heart was hammering in his chest. All he could think about was that girl and what she’d done to Bucky’s eyes, the feeling of being watched and now Tony missing. He squeezed Bucky’s hand, staying close to him for light.\n\nBucky squeezed Steve’s hand right back, pulling him closer. “You’re okay,” he said. “That thing isn’t getting us again.”\n\n“I’m still scared,” Steve answered truthfully.\n\n“Hey wait. Tony! What’re you doing?” Clint called.\n\nTony was sitting on an old discarded chair. One that looked like it’d been here since the house was built. His back was to them but otherwise they could tell it was Tony. \n\n“Tony!” Clint called again. “This shit isn’t funny, man!”\n\n“Wait a second,” Natasha said, taking a step closer. “This isn’t right.”\n\n“Fuck this!” Clint ran over to Tony, flashing the light right into his face. He dropped to his knees screaming and stumbling back.\n\nNat ran up to Clint to catch him. Even in the darkness, Steve could see her face go sheet white.\n\nSteve and Bucky squeezed each other tighter, Bucky burying his face in Steve’s shoulder. \n\n“Oh my God,” Nat breathed out. “Tony! Tony… Oh no, no no.” She dropped to her knees in front of Tony. "Not you too..."\n\n“Dude,” Clint sobbed, trying to pull Nat back. “D-dude he’s dead.”\n\n“What!” Steve screamed. He jogged over. Even with the soft light of the lighter he could see the gory mess that seeped from Tony’s chest. His body was shiny and stained a deep red that looked black in the soft light. “Oh my God,” Steve whispered, tears flooding his eyes. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.”\n\n“Was it that girl?” Natasha asked shakily. “Holy fuck, we shouldn’t have let him go!” She stumbled back, pressing her hand to her chest. “We have to think…rationally. We…” She swallowed hard again, a sob escaping her lips. “Oh my God. Are we gonna die?”\n\nSteve felt numb. His fingers tingled, his face felt like someone had a bag over it. Tony was dead. Bruce was dead.\n\nBut that was Tony and he was dead. His eyes were open wide with a look that only could be best described as terror and his mouth hung open. Blood was all over his chest, soaking his shirt. A ghost had attacked Bucky, scratched at his eyes and Steve wasn’t sure what would have happened if he hadn’t bludgeoned the door down. Tony was dead because Steve didn't chase after him. Bruce was dead because Steve decided to think with his cock and not his head. His friends were dying one by one.\n\nAnd it was all his fault.\n\n“Why is this happening to us?!” Clint wailed. He was holding Tony’s lifeless hand. He sobbed loudly. \n\n“Oh my God,” Steve whispered. \n\n“Clint,” Steve rasped through a shaky voice. God, when did his voice become so afraid? “We’ve gotta take his body downstairs.” \n\nThen it came out, the words that bubbled in the pits of Steve's stomach. He'd tried so hard to keep them away. He tried to keep rational or on track. But they were here...\n“I yelled at him,” Steve said. “I yelled at him and–- and that was the last thing I said.” \n\nBucky pulled Steve into a hug, cupping the back of his head. “Shh, doll. He knew you didn’t hate him.” \n\n“I’m the reason he’s dead,” Steve said. “This is all my fault. They're both my fault.”\n\n“No,” Natasha said, moving to put a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “You didn’t do this.”\n\nGuilt was a heavy burden. It weighed at Steve’s heart, chaining with thick, rusted links that tugged at the muscle, slipping it against his sternum until it was sliding into his intestines. He swallowed thickly, unable to look away from Tony’s body. “I’m so sorry, Tony.”\n\n"The police will be here soon, right?" Clint asked.\n\n"Not sure." Steve's voice was dead, just like his friend. "The rain's pouring out there." \n\n“We can’t stay here!” Bucky said. “We have to go. We can come back when the police find us.”\n\nSteve knew it was the right choice to [[get out]]. Leaving Tony and Bruce's bodies behind was the hardest thing he'd ever done.\n\nBut they needed to get out.\n

Natasha and Clint entered the room, joining the three. Natasha’s hands went over her mouth as she gasped. “Oh Bucky! I’m so sorry.” \n\nSteve winced. Natasha and Clint, hell, every one of his friends had been there the night Bucky’s grandma gave Bucky the china bowl. He’d cried back then, hugging his grandma and thanking her over and over in Russian. She didn’t speak English. \n\n“Bucky…” Steve whispered. “I…I don’t…H-how?” Steve stared at the box, horror etching into his eyes. The box was sitting up. How did something fall from a box that wasn’t knocked over? Steve was very sure he hadn’t hit it.\n\nBucky looked up, his eyes glared at the box sitting atop the breakfast table. “How the fuck does this happen?” \n\n“Well…that’s comforting,” Clint said sarcastically, going over to the box and looking inside. “Maybe the box flipped back up after the weight fell? Gravity does that kinda shit.” \n\n“Ehh,” Bruce drawled. “Boxes don’t just flip back up after something’s pushed them down…”\n\n“Then how do you explain this?” Natasha asked, gesturing to the broken pieces splattered across the floor.\n\nSteve pressed a kiss against Bucky’s cheek. “I’m so sorry, baby.” \n \nBucky stood up, still staring at the box. He wiped at his eyes. Pulling out another bowl from a different china set and marched up to the cabinets to place it atop them. He struggled, as he wasn’t as tall as Steve, but he’d reached it eventually. Steve winced as guilt ate away at his heart, leaving it exposed and raw. Bucky had a close relationship with his grandma before she passed. He’d also been there to take care of her before she died. It had been a rough time for him. Before she died, Steve was so sure Bucky would call off the wedding on account of her death, but he didn’t. “Where’s my cat?”\n\n“He’s in the foyer,” Natasha responded, wrapping an arm around Clint as she raised up her other hand, sporting the cat bite. “He bit me.”\n\nBucky turned around, his brow furrowed when he looked at the bite. “Ah shit, I’m sorry Tash. Can someone let him out? If that's okay, Natasha?"\n\nNatasha shrugged. “No worries. Clint patched me up nicely.”\n\nClint sported a goofy smile; like a proper dope of a man. "I'll do it!"\n\nSteve would have chuckled, except he felt so guilty. He’d been the last one closest to that china piece. He’d had to have knocked it…except he hadn’t. He was very careful. Something else picked it up and…dropped it… Steve looked over to the box again, staring at it intently as if somehow its secrets would be revealed to him.\n\n“Lucy! I’m home!” Tony called into the house. “Can we shut the door yet? I don’t see any boxes left!”\n\nClint, Bruce and Natasha went out into the foyer to greet Tony. Steve also assumed Thor would be right behind him, or at least he’d arrive shortly. \n\nBucky leaned against the sink, grimacing as he stared down at the broken shards on the floor. “I gotta clean this up.”\n\nSteve pursed his lips. “How ‘bout I clean it? You go relax. It’s been a long enough day.”\n\nBucky sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. “Steve,” he groaned out. “How does a bowl fall from an upside right box?”\n\nSteve looked over at the box. He had no idea how a bowl fell from an upside right box; that thought terrified him, chilling him from the core down to his toes. There had to be some kind of reason. Things didn’t just float and drop… “Go be social. I’ll deal with this.” \n\nBucky went up to him, slipping his hands around his middle and sliding them down to squeeze his ass. “I love you, Steve Rogers-Barnes.” He kissed Steve softly at first, as if the kiss would be fragile and fleeting, but Steve was pushed against the wall. Bucky turned his head, deepening the kiss as he slid his tongue into Steve’s mouth, massaging his tongue over Steve’s before swirling around it once and giving it a final lap. He pulled back. “I can’t wait till we’re makin’ love in that bed.” He kissed down Steve’s throat. “And atop of the dining table…” Bucky licked over Steve’s pulse in his neck. “And next to the pond.”\n\nSteve felt his cheeks heat up as a soft, shy smile ghosted across his lips. “I love you too, James Barnes-Rogers.” If Steve tried to say anything else, he was pretty sure he’d twist his tongue up into a knot and explode from the rush of excitement Bucky was giving him. They were going to have so much fun in this house…\n\nBucky rolled his eyes, moving back and pointing to the shards on the floor. “Clean up, boy!” he teased, snapping his fingers. “I’ll hook up the TV.”\n\nSteve walked over to the basement door. He opened it, feeling a gust of cold wind erupt from the lower level. He could have sworn he’d just felt someone brush by his ankle. He looked down, seeing if perhaps Pietro was out of his crate yet. When he saw nothing, he furrowed his brow. How was there a draft down there? He stared into the darkness for a moment before grabbing the broom and dustpan that were hooked on the wall. \n\nHe listened to the soft chatter from his friends in the other room, smiling as they laughed and rolling his eyes as they shot teasing jabs at each other. He swept up the china pieces, pushing them into a nice pile in the middle of the room. He crouched down, preparing to sweep the pieces into the pan.\n\n“Hey,” someone said behind him; it sounded like Bucky.\n\nSteve smiled as he finished up sweeping the shards into the pan. “Buck, I told you to-” The words fell from his mouth, never to be spoken as he looked behind him. No one was there. \n\n“And then I was like, “Seriously, bitch? I was here for five minutes!” Bucky shouted in the other room, clearly telling some story where someone had pissed him off. Several waves of laughter erupted following his dramatic statement.\n\nSteve furrowed his brow, his gaze darting to each corner of the kitchen and glancing over to the glass-enclosed bonus room. No one was around… He could have sworn someone said something… That wasn't just his mind playing tricks on him. He'd very clearly heard someone. He knew Bucky's voice better than he knew his own...\n\nHe looked back down to the glass shards; hastily picking the pan up and going over to the trash can to dump it. He looked around the room, feeling a cold chill start at the base of his spine and crawl every-so-slowly up his back and into his neck; bristling the hairs at the base of his skull. He felt like someone was watching him. \n\nHe wanted to [[go into the other room]] with his friends, but part of him also wanted to [[make sure no one was hiding]] in the glass bonus room... The china bowl had set his mind into a state of unease. What if someone else was in the house?\n

The group was waiting for them in the living room. Natasha was scrolling on her phone, looking into the murders that took place here. Steve saw the picture of the family from where he stood, dripping. \n“You’re tracking water and mud everywhere,” Nat said. \n\n“We just wanted to inform you all that the girl is gone and we’re going upstairs to change.” Bucky’s voice was flat. “No ghosts.”\n\n\nTony smiled, clapping his hands together. “See, what did I say?”\n\nBruce shrugged. “Video game time?”\n\nClint reached for a controller. “Video game time!”\n\nNatasha leapt from the sofa, running around and shoving her phone in Steve’s face. “Dad drowned one of his kids in the pond. Just be careful when you have children. Don’t let them play around there.”\n\nSteve nodded, grimacing. Bucky pulled on his hand and together they made their way upstairs. The dark hallway wasn’t as scary anymore. It’d been a strange evening, but Steve was pretty sure it was just adrenaline now. The girl was probably the reason the china broke. She probably liked it and tried to pick it up. \n\nWhen they went into the bedroom, Bucky stumbled to a halt. Steve smacked into him, grabbing his husband’s waist to keep from falling. “Bucky!”\n\n“Steve,” Bucky said, his voice tight. “Look.”\n\nSteve turned the light on, gasping when he saw what was on the bed. Pietro was clumped up with mud-soaked fur and had the creepiest doll lying next to him. He was growling. The doll was faceless with a red mark around her throat. \n\n“Jesus,” Steve said. “Really, Pietro?!” He grabbed the cat and dropped him on the floor. “You’re disgusting!” The cat shot out into the hallway. “Damn it. You freaked me out!”\n\nBucky looked at his feet, playing with his fingers. “Sorry. I was worried the mud was blood.”\n\nSteve started stripping off his clothes. “We need to get this all cleaned up.” He started stripping the bed and dropped the muddy sheets on the floor. "I hate that cat."\n\n“Steve?”\n\nSteve paused, his fingers lingering in his soaked briefs. Bucky’s face was pale. He fidgeted around like a little boy needing to pee. \n\n“After tonight, do you think we’re gonna be happy here?”\n\nSteve relaxed. He crossed the room, wrapping his arms around Bucky’s shoulders and kissed his forehead. “Yes. Without a doubt.”\n\n“It’s just—we’ve freaked ourselves out. I don’t even know if I ever wanna watch a scary movie here.”\n\nSteve smiled, swaying them. “You will. We’ll get used to the house—get some lightbulbs up here in the halls. It’s gonna be great, Buck. We’re gonna build our life here.”\n\nBucky shivered. Steve wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t cold to the bone from the wet clothes. He let go of Bucky, going back over to his dresser and began finding new clothes to wear. \nBucky did the same over at his dresser. They dressed in silence, listening to the thunder rolling in the sky. It sounded further away now. Maybe the storm was ending soon. \n\n“I’m gonna head down,” Steve said. “You okay?”\n\nBucky nodded. “I love you.”\n\nSteve smiled warmly. “Love you too, baby.”\n\n[[POV to Bucky]]\n

“Wanna fuck you,” Steve breathed out. “In a fucking car.” \n\nBucky smiled darkly, spinning Steve around to rip his pants off entirely and drop them to the side. He stood up, catching Steve’s mouth with his. Their tongues swirled around each other, lips twisting and teeth clattering. Bucky rolled his hips into Steve, pushing his hardening cock against Steve. “Touch me, Stevie?” he breathed out. “Want you to touch me.” \n\nSteve reached down, tilting his head to catch Bucky’s lips in his. He slipped his hand into Bucky’s pants, curling his fingers around Bucky and pumping slowly. He teased at the slit, circling the pad of his finger against it. With his other hand, he tugged Bucky’s pants down, breaking the kiss only to let Bucky slip them off. They moved over to Nat’s car, opening the door.\n\n“She’s an idiot,” Bucky laughed as he slid into the car, spreading his legs wide for Steve.\n\nSteve growled, jumping atop Bucky, clashing their mouths together and pressing his cock against Bucky’s. He reached down, his fingers fumbling over both their erections as he pulled them together, stroking them at the same time.\n\nBucky moaned into his mouth, grinding hard against Steve’s body. “That feeL’s so good, so good, doll,” Bucky panted. \n\n“Gonna make you feel real good, Buck,” Steve whispered back. “Gotta use spit though? That okay?”\n\nBucky nodded, pushing his wet mouth against Steve’s again. “Just fuck me, Stevie. Want that thick cock in me.”\n\nSteve palmed at Bucky’s dick, circling his hand over the tip and using his fingers to pull at the length, twisting them around.\n\n“Ah, sweet baby fucking Jesus you’re beautiful, Stevie,” Bucky gasped. “Lick my hole. Eat me out, baby. Wanna get all slicked up for you.” \n\nThey moved with a sense of urgency, both knowing that at any moment someone could come out and find them or that girl could come back… Steve didn’t relish the idea of Nat finding out they just fucked in the backseat of her car, but at the same time it would be kind of funny.\n\nSteve spread Bucky’s legs, growling in approval as he let his finger run over Bucky’s rim.\n\nBucky arched into the touch, arching his back. He reached up to grab at the handle on the car, locking the door.\n\n“Scared someone’s gonna open it?” Steve teased as he swirled the pad of his finger over Bucky’s hole.\n\n“J-just don’t wanna open it on accident,” Bucky breathed out. “Lick me, Steve!”\n\nSteve wasted no time in slipping his tongue between Bucky’s cheeks. He lapped at Bucky’s hole, sucking loudly against it as his hand lazily went up to play with Bucky’s balls. He loved the way Bucky’s hole fluttered against his tongue, opening and clenching as his tongue glided around it.\n\n“Oh, yes, doll,” Bucky breathed out, pressing one of his arms over his mouth to bite down. “Just like that.”\n\nSteve swirled his tongue around the rim, poking it in softly, just barely but enough to tease Bucky.\n\n“More, Steve!” Bucky whined, smacking his head back against the car door.\n\nSteve’s cock was throbbing with anticipation. God, Bucky was so beautiful, pushing his ass down on Steve’s face and floundering his arms around as he helplessly searched for something to hold onto.\n\nSteve hooked his tongue, lapping at the back of Bucky’s rim. He sucked at it, pulling tiny little gasps from Bucky’s lips that made his heart flutter.\n“Ah…ah…fuck…”\n\nSteve slipped his tongue inside, rolling it against Bucky’s muscles, slicking them up with saliva. He pushed Bucky’s ass cheeks further apart, getting his face further up to move his tongue more. \n\nBucky threw his head back, moaning loudly as he rocked back on Steve’s face. \n\nSteve’s nose was against Bucky’s perineum. He nuzzled at it, enjoying when Bucky rocked his hips up for more of the light contact. He paused, pulling back when he thought he heard someone running outside.\n\n“What?” Bucky protested. “Fuck, baby don’t stop now!”\n\n“I thought I heard something,” Steve explained.\n\nBucky sat up, looking around into the night. “Don’t see nothin’.” He pulled Steve’s face to his, flicking his tongue out against Steve’s lips. “Fuck me.”\n\nSteve nestled back between Bucky’s legs, pushing his face firmer against Bucky’s ass. He flattened his tongue inside, lulling it forcefully against Bucky’s insides, feeling them quake around him. Hooking his tongue, he pulled it out with a tiny pop before plunging back in. \n\n“Oh, fuck me, Steve!” Bucky cried. “God yes so good, so good!”\n\nSaliva dribbled down Steve’s chin as he worked Bucky open with his tongue, lapping at that precious little hole that flirted with him. He swirled his tongue around it before pressing loud kisses against it.\n\n“Steve!” Bucky giggled. “You’re so fucking weird!”\n\n“You’ve got such a pretty little hole, baby,” Steve praised. “I just wanna love it.”\n\n“God, why did I marry you?” Bucky questioned as he rested his head back against the door.\n\n“Dunno,” Steve answered, slipping a finger into Bucky, rocking it in and out softly. \n\nBucky’s eyes fluttered closed as he pushed down on the finger. “Ah, God that’s good.”\n\n“You think you can take me? I don’t wanna be gone too much longer.”\n\nBucky whimpered but nodded. “Yeah. Just fuck me hard. Don’t want them realizing what we’re doin'.”\n\nSteve spit down onto his cock, smearing the saliva around his length. His hand was warm against himself and he wanted so badly to pump as fast as possible but Bucky’s beautiful, glistening hole was right there waiting for him.\n\nBucky wrapped his legs around Steve, bucking his hips up, his cock swaying gently. “Fuck. Me.”\n\nSteve laughed, but he lined himself up, pushing into Bucky’s slick hole.\n\nBucky squeezed around him, groaning in discomfort. He shifted, trying to rock his hips but pulled back, his muscles clamping around Steve. \n\n“You okay?” Steve asked, reaching his hands up to finger at Bucky’s nipples beneath his shirt. “Wanna stop?”\n\n“Oh fuck you, I can take it,” Bucky growled as he pushed back against Steve’s cock. “Fuck me, doll baby.” \n\nSteve purred approvingly. He slipped further into Bucky, rocking back gently before slipping back in.\n\nBucky’s eyes fluttered closed as his mouth dropped open.\n\n“Feel good, baby?” Steve asked, thrusting up gently again.\n\n“Oh fuck yeah, Stevie,” Bucky breathed. “Harder. Want bruises all over.”\n\nBucky arched his back, wrapping his arms around Steve as he rolled his hips up. \n\nSteve quickened his thrusts, smacking his balls audibly against Bucky as he did so.\n\nBucky squeezed his legs around Steve tighter, mewling incoherently. He wrapped his hand around the back of Steve’s neck, pulling his face down to meet his.\n\nSteve thrust in and out of Bucky’s hot little ass, feeling those muscles clenching, pulling him deeper, letting him slip just a bit further in as Bucky’s mouth claimed his.\n\nBucky was eager, hastening Steve’s thrusts as he rocked up into Steve, smacking his hips loudly against Steve’s body. “Fuck. Me. Damn it! We don’t got time for you to fuck around!”\n\n“Love your word choice,” Steve teased as he pressed a soft kiss to Bucky’s lips. “I love when you get all impatient.” \n\n“Fuck. Me,” Bucky growled again. \n\nSteve wasted no time. He snapped his hips back and forth, pushing his cock further into Bucky with each thrust. \n\nBucky bounced off the car seat, rocking his ass into Steve. They shook the car back and forth. He grabbed at the door again, dropping his head against it. “Mmmm, fuck…more…more baby,” he moaned. \n\nSteve thrusted harder, back and forth into Bucky, snapping his hips up to push his tip against Bucky’s prostate.\n\nSteve saw flashes of white each time his tip would press into Bucky’s prostate. “Ah…ah…ah…ah!” he gasped with each push. “Bucky…fuck…fuck…fuck…”\n\nBucky grunted, animalistic and low in his throat. He rocked into Steve, pushing the car back and forth, sweat chilling against his skin. “Just like that, just like that Stevie!”\n\nSteve needed this. Everything had been so tense, from the move to the girl… Things were happening that he didn’t really understand and this just felt right. Bucky’s body so warm against him–around him. He shoved his dick up into Bucky, crying out as heat rose in his stomach, starting at the pit and rising to his sternum. He shook from heat rising in the car, the ferocity of his thrusts and the excitement of knowing at any moment they could be caught. \n\n“Oh…B-Bucky…I’m coming, Bucky…fuck…fuck I love you and that fucking…ah…ah!” Steve moved to wrap his fingers around Bucky’s dick, stroking him as fast as he could, thumb moving in fast circles up and down the shaft. His orgasm pushed out from his balls and into Bucky’s ass. He laughed, breathless and in so much euphoria as his muscles melted beneath Bucky’s urgent thrusts. \n\nBucky’s muscles clenched around Steve, locking him inside, pulling him deeper as his orgasm rippled through his body, making his knees turn to jelly and his spine curve. \n\nSteve continued to stroke Bucky’s cock, spitting down on it and coating it with the warm saliva. He flicked his wrist, thumb tickling at the underside of the tip.\n\nBucky moved to grab the back of Steve’s neck, snapping his hips up against Steve. “Oh fuck, doll…fuck…fuck…me too!”\n\nSteve felt Bucky’s seed shot up against his shirt, hot and wet. He rocked back into Bucky, making sure to let Bucky ride out his orgasm, giving Bucky the pleasure his perfect body deserved.\n\nThey collapsed into each other, raggedly breathing. Turning to each other, they both started giggling. “Oh my God, we just did that!” Steve laughed as he dropped his head into Bucky’s chest. “We’re fucking teenagers again.”\n\nBucky chest rumbled with his laughter. He ran his fingers through Steve’s hair, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Quick n’ dirty. Just like old times.”\n\nSteve sniffed, shifting closer to Bucky’s body for warmth. “Where’re my pants?” \n\nBucky looked around, his eyes suddenly confused. “Uh…I dropped them right next to the car?”\n\nSteve groaned, untangling himself from Bucky. He opened the car door, looking to where Bucky was pointing. “I don’t see them, Buck. Seriously, where’re my pants.”\n\n“I put them right there!” Bucky protested as he scooted out of the car. “God it’s cold out.” \n\n“I can’t go back inside like this!” Steve exclaimed as he gestured to his bottom half.\n\nHuffing, Bucky stood up, tucking himself back into his pants. He looked around the car and peeked his head under it. “I don’t see them, Steve. And I need to clean your sperm outta my ass.”\n\n“Well they couldn’t have just…” Steve’s eyes rounded as his brain stumbled upon the only logical conclusion. “That girl.”\n\nBucky’s mouth dropped open, his chest still rising and falling as he caught his breath. “Fuckin’ seriously? We’re were… Oh my God.” He scrubbed his hands over his face, groaning. \n\nSteve stood up, covering his flaccid cock. “Did she watch us?” \n\n“I can’t believe this!” Bucky continued. “How’d she get that close and we didn’t even see her?”\n\n“I don’t know, baby!” Steve snapped back. “But we need to go back in.”\n\nBucky’s eyes softened as he nodded slowly. “Yeah. Yeah okay.”\n\nAs they were walking, they heard someone running at them, getting closer.\n\nSteve moved to get behind Bucky in a desperate attempt to cover his naked lower half. \n\n“What the fuck?” Bucky gasped his gaze frantically looking about the yard. “You heard that right?”\n\n“Yeah,” Steve whispered. “Let’s just get the fuck inside.” Steve wasn’t one to be scared, but having his ass hanging out made him feel moderately vulnerable. Too much was happening tonight. Too much he couldn’t figure out and right now, all he wanted to do was share a beer with his friends and then go to sleep with Bucky. Maybe even fuck him more later. \nTogether they turned to [[go back inside]].\n

Bucky leaned into the roomy shower stall and flipped on the water. He slipped out of his wet clothing, tossing it to the floor and laughing softly when Pietro growled at the discarded clothes. “You’re such a diva, Pietro,” he teased. \n\nTesting the water with his hand, he slipped into the shower. The stream cascaded down his body, eliciting small shivers of pleasure as warmth seeped back into his bones. He leaned his head back into the stream, letting the water massage over his head. \n\nThe door closed. Bucky looked through the frosted glass at a figure standing outside the door. He cracked a cocky smile. “Wanna join me, doll?”\nThe candle went out. \n\nBucky rolled his eyes. “Seriously, Steve. I can’t see shit.” The room was blanketed in darkness. The only light that could trickle in was from a tiny window high up in the ceiling, but the storm choked the light before it even had a chance to spill into the room. \n\nThe shower door opened. \n\n“Okay, fine. If I slip, it’s your fault,” Bucky grumbled in jest. He fumbled around for the soap. \n\nSteve moved behind him, running his fingers up and down his shoulders. \n\n“S-Steve!” Bucky hissed out. “Baby, you’re freezing.” He stepped forward so Steve could stand directly under the shower’s stream. Bucky leaned back, shivering from how cold Steve felt. “I thought I was the one who needed to warm up.” \n\nBucky scrubbed at his arms, lathering himself up in soap. “Get my back, please?” he asked.\n\nSteve took the soap and scrubbed at Bucky’s back. \n\nBucky looked over his shoulder, but he couldn’t see literally anything. He wouldn’t know Steve was even moving if he couldn’t feel those soft circles caressing against his skin, washing away the grime of the day. “I love you,” Bucky whispered. “Steve?” \n\nBucky turned around, wrapping his arms around the man. “You okay?” The shower wasn’t doing anything for heating up his skin. He felt like glass that’d been left in the freezer. “Baby…?”\n\nSteve removed Bucky’s arms from around his neck. Without speaking, he exited the shower. \n\n“Hey, wait, Steve!” Bucky tried to follow but he slipped, tumbling down against the tile. “FUCK!” Pain surged up Bucky’s ankle as he grabbed at it in an attempt to keep the pain from spreading. “God damn it.” \n\n“Bucky?” Steve called into the bathroom. \n\n“I fell. You should come back into the shower and warm up,” Bucky stated as he still cradled his ankle. \n\n“What?” Steve asked. \n\n“You’re freezing right?”\n\n“…No?” Steve drawled uncertainly. \n\nBucky’s heart stilled in his chest; his veins going cold. “You were just in the shower, Steve…”\n\nSteve lit the candle again. From the open shower door, Bucky saw Steve, dry and clothed. “I… You were just here…”\n\nSteve kneeled down next to the shower; his brow knit together as he looked down at Bucky’s bleeding ankle. “Baby, you’re hurt.” He reached out but Bucky swatted his hand away.\n“Who was in our room, Steve?” \n\n“Huh?”\n\nBucky slammed his head against the tiled wall. “Stop fucking with me! Were you or were you not just in the shower with me?”\n\n“No!” Steve exclaimed. \n\n“Then who was?”\n\n“You were alone, Buck,” Steve responded. “You closed the door and no one came in.”\n\n“I didn’t close the door, Steve…” Bucky said through clenched teeth. He felt violated. His stomach bunched up on him, twisting against his intestines as he suppressed the urge to gag. “Someone was in the shower,” he hissed out. \n\nSteve sat back, his lips parting as he looked over at the door. “I…didn’t see anyone…”\n\nBucky pulled his knees against his chest, wrapping his arms around them as water continued to spray from above. “Steve…” he uttered shakily. “Someone touched me…and they were freezing.” Bucky’s heart was climbing into his throat; he could hear his pulse beating against his eardrums. Someone had been in the shower… someone had touched him…and it wasn’t Steve. “W-who…” \n\n“Bucky,” Steve said suddenly. “Let’s get you out of the shower.” Steve stood up, offering a hand to Bucky, despite getting his shoulder and arm wet from the shower. \n\nBucky reached up, grabbing Steve’s hand. He was warm. “I swear someone was in here.”\n\n“It’s been a really, really long day, Buck,” Steve began. “Maybe you’re just exhausted.” He handed Bucky a towel.\n\n“Yeah…maybe…”\n[[Push the issue]]\n

“I’ll go first,” Sam said as he gently brushed by Steve. The group followed Sam up the attic stairs.\n\nSteve squeezed Bucky’s hand. The girl, now Tony. Something wasn’t right and Steve didn’t want to start grasping at straws but he knew when to trust his gut. Something about all this felt wrong to him.\n\nSam shined his cell’s flashlight around the attic. The group had to bend over from the lowered ceiling but for the most part everyone fit with ease. Discarded items lay around the open space, dusty and beaten. “Hey, over here,” Sam whispered. He moved toward a chair with an outline of what looked to be a man sitting on it. Sam walked around it, sighing as he shined his light back on the group. “Tony’s asleep.”\n\n“Tony!” Bruce shouted, running over to the chair and shaking the man awake.\n\n“What! Jesus! I did not have sexual relations with that woman!” Tony blabbered as he was woken up. \n\n“Tony! You scared the shit out of us!” Bruce scolded. He dropped to his knees in front of Tony, keeping his hand on the man’s knee. “We were looking all over for you!”\n\n“Oh,” Tony said, rubbing at his eyes. “Sorry. I guess I got really sleepy.”\n\n“And you decided to take a nap in our attic?” Bucky inquired, cocking his head to the side. “That’s weird.”\n\nTony shrugged. “I don’t honestly remember why I decided to nap in the attic. I just…got sleepy. It was weird. I remember us in the dining room and now I’m here.”\n\n“You don’t remember searching through the house for that girl?” Natasha asked, crossing her arms over her chest.\n\nTony ruffled his hair, sighing. “Uh, no. Did you find her?”\n\n“No,” Bucky replied. “We’re not sure where she went.” \n\n“Well, that’s awkward.” Tony stood up, brushing himself off. “My word, that chair is dusty.”\n\n“Well, do we wanna head downstairs and finally drink and play video games?” Clint suggested.\n\n“Sure,” Steve agreed. He'd had enough of frayed nervous and the feeling of imposing doom. Curling up in Bucky's arms with a video game and some beer sounded real nice right about now.\n[[Head downstairs Bucky POV Switch]]\n

Bucky nodded. “You know I trust you.” \n\nSteve relaxed, smiling bigger. “Okay. We go out the window.”\n\n“What?!” Bucky jumped from the bed, standing ramrod straight.\n\n“We’ve gotta get away from him, baby!” \n\nThe footsteps were getting closer. Bucky whined, looking at the door. He knew, he knew with absolute certainty that if they stayed, that’d be the end for them. Nat would die for no reason. This thing would get to keep killing. Bucky wouldn’t stand for that. He knew Steve wouldn’t either. \n\n“Okay.” \n\nSteve moved over to the window, opening it. He slipped outside, climbing along the house. Bucky followed, clinging to the gutters as best he could. They hobbled down the slippery roofing and jumped to the ground below. “Bucky!” Steve shouted.\n\nBucky turned around with enough time to see a girl crawling out of the pond, muddy and ghostly pale. Her hair blocked her face and she moved like the bones in her body weren’t there anymore.\n\n“Oh fuck! Run! Run, Steve run!” \n\nThey did, they ran into the treeline. Bucky kept behind Steve, following that shock of blond hair. He turned around and relaxed when nothing was chasing them. \n“Steve! Holy—Steve slow—slow down!” \n\nSteve slowed to a jog, biting his lower lip. “We lose it?” \n\n“Yeah.”\n\n“We’re in the woods though,” Steve said.\n\n“Thanks Captain Obvious.” Bucky started walking. They had to find somewhere to hide or get some damn salt. “Wait!” His eyes snapped open. “Your rosary!” \n\n“It’s in the car?” Steve’s eyes also rounded, realization draining in. “Oh it’s in the car!” \n\n“We’ve just gotta get it!” \n\n“God, this is—this is fucking crazy, Bucky!”\n\n“There’s a dead girl hobbling around on all fours and there’s a ghost in our house. I think we’ve surpassed that.” Bucky grabbed Steve’s arm. “We’ve gotta do this. We can’t leave Bruce and Tony.” \n\n“Do you have your phone?” Steve asked, following Bucky back toward the house. “Mine’s dead.” \n\nBucky shook his head. “I left it in the house.”\n\n“Fuck. We need Sam or someone.”\n\n“We just need each other. We can do this, baby.” Bucky offered what he hoped to be a reassuring smile. \n\nSteve didn’t seem so reassured. The shadows from the trees danced across his face like sharp nails, ready to peel back his skin. He looked older out here, not as powerful. They were both afraid. \n\nThey came back to the long driveway, keeping to the trees. Bucky peeked around one, looking. “I don’t see anything.” \n\n“Doesn’t mean it ain’t there.” \n\nBucky leaned back, biting his lip. “You think Bruce and Tony are okay?”\n\n“God, I hope. Car?”\n\n“Yeah.” Bucky stayed low, creeping behind Bruce’s car and then rolling behind a bush. He looked out. The front door was wide open. That was either a good sign or a horribly bad one. He didn’t want to really think which was which. He crawled over to the car, grabbing the door. It opened silently and he snuck inside, reaching for the glove box. \nHe heard a nose in the backseat. \n\nHe could [[look]], or [[not]].\n

Steve shrugged, looking at the bathroom. “I believe Bucky. I just don’t want to.” \n\nNatasha smiled, nodding. “Same.” \n\nTogether they kept [[searching for Tony]]\n

"I can't believe he just died though," Steve said. He couldn't tell Tony about the poison theory. That'd just upset him more. Steve had to protect him from it. That would only add more grief to Tony's plate. He was suffering enough. \n\n"I know so much about science and yet I couldn't do a damn thing." Tony sighed, dropping his head to his knees. "What good is it to be this smart if you can't save people?"\n\n"You do save people. Your inventions."\n\nTony scoffed. "You're a good friend." Tony stood up, sighing. "Time to hitch a ride with the ambulence. I'm gonna go be with Banner in...well you know."\n\nSteve furrowed his brow. "You're not staying anymore?"\n\nTony shrugged. "I can't. I just keep thinking about him all alone in that place. I'm gonna stay at the hospital tonight." \n\nSteve nodded. "That's fair."\n\n"No it's not," Tony said. "It's just life."\n\n--\n\n“I’m sorry we’re not staying,” Rhodey said to Steve, leaning on his car. The ambulance turned their lights on, but the sirens remained off. The dead didn’t need to be rushed, they had all the time in the universe. “I’ll drive Tony to the hospital and text you when he's there.”\n\n"Yeah,” Steve said, raising his hand to shake Rhodey's. "Sounds good."\n\n“Take care tonight."\n\n"You too."\n\n“I'll be up at the Motel 8, okay? If you n’ Buck need anything, give me a holler.” Rhodey smacked Steve’s back, a brief salutation. He walked around to the driver’s side of his car. Steve looked down at the pond, watching the police finish up the investigation there. He guessed they could officially call that a closed case now. They had the body and everything… \n\n“Why’re we staying?” Bucky asked. His face was scrunched up in anger and his fingers twitched. “We need to go!” \n\n“It’s our house, Bucky.” Steve shrugged. “We can’t just give up. We haven’t even paid it all off yet. The furniture loans and—”\n\n“I don’t give a flying fuck about loans, Steve. We have to go!” \n\n“I’m not leaving this house!” Steve stepped forward, staring down at Bucky’s dark eyes. The shadows from the moonlight, finally peering around the thick clouds painted Bucky’s face in cold blues. He looked murdersome. \n\n“Don’t make me do this Steve.”\n\n“Why not, Buck?!” Steve gestured wildly to the house. “It’s a normal house! Nothing happened! Yes, Bruce died! But nothing else happened!”\n\n“Tony–”\n\n“Tony could’ve scratched himself! We were all scared! Bruce is dead, we’re all grieving! You slipped and hit your head, Buck! That’s all! That girl is dead and let her be dead!” Steve turned around, storming over to the house. \n\nClint was in the foyer with Nat, both of them whispering in hushed tones. \n\n“You okay, Steve?” Nat asked.\n\n“Just tired.” Steve marched up the stairs and went down the dark hallway. He didn’t care about the strange sounds in the other hall. It was an old house. Houses made sounds. He flipped the lights on and began stripping the bed from the wet sheets. He’d have to flip the mattress. Probably buy a new one in a day or two. This one would get moldy. \n\n“Steve…”\n\nSteve turned around, sighing. Bucky was clinging to the doorframe, his hair in his eyes. \n\n“I’m just scared.”\n\n“I know.” \n\n“I don’t know why I can’t calm down.” He trudged into the room, dropping into Steve’s arms. Steve held his husband, stroking his soft hair.\n\n“It’s an old house. We’ve had a rough night. Sleep’ll make it better.”\n\nBucky clung to Steve, his fingers twisting up in Steve’s shirt. “I don’t wanna sleep.”\n\n“Want me to make love to you?”\n\n“No,” Bucky said quickly. “I can’t do that—I’ll just think of Bruce…”\n\nSteve nodded. “Yeah, me too.” He walked over to the linen closet, pulling out new sheets. “Help me make the bed?”\n\nBucky nodded. \n\nTogether, they made the bed in silence, flipping the mattress and putting the new sheets on. Once finished, Bucky moved over to the window, staring out at the pond. “Pietro was wigged out.” \n\nSteve sat on the bed, watching. \n\n“I couldn’t find him after. I’m afraid he—what if he fell in?” \n\n“We would’ve seen.”\n\n“Would we?” Bucky turned around, staring at Steve. Heavy bags were under his eyes. He looked so much older than he really was. It was sad, seeing Bucky look so tired. “He’s just a cat.” \n\n“He’s outside, I know it.” Steve reached out for Bucky’s hand, smiling. “Come to bed.” \n\nBucky slipped between Steve’s legs, dropping his head against Steve’s. “I can’t stop being afraid.” \n\n“I’m with you,” Steve said, kissing Bucky’s torso. “I’ll always be with you.” \n\n“You swear?”\n\nSteve smiled. It was the easiest promise he’d ever make. \n\n“I [[ absolutely swear]].”

Steve jogged to Bucky, falling over some of the porcelain pieces and letting them dig into his knees. He pulled Bucky's face into his chest, letting the man sob into him. “Hey baby,” Steve cooed. “I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry, baby.”\n\n“No one was even in here,” Bucky wheezed. “It just fell. I didn't do it. It just fell!”\n\nSteve looked up to Tony coming in from the back door. He sported a cocked brow but his face melted into concern when he saw the scene before him.\n\n“Something knocked Bucky's china down,” Steve explained. \n\n“Something?” Clint asked asked as he walked in with Bruce. “Cat's still in the crate.”\n\n“I was in here alone!” Bucky exclaimed, picking up one of the china pieces and clutching it to his heart. “Fuck me.”\n\nSteve winced, looking around at his friends. He sighed heavily, unsure of what to say. Bucky thought he'd been in here alone and he thought someone or something knocked the china. Steve wasn't stupid. He wouldn't try to weasel a confession out of Bucky about whether he'd done it. Steve knew no one gave the cold shoulder better than Bucky. “Let's get it cleaned up. Maybe I can glue it back together?”\n\nBucky jutted his bottom lip out, staring up at Steve with big, round eyes. “Yeah...okay.”\n\nAll the men worked to pick up the pieces and set them on the table for the time being. Once that was finished, Bucky swept the pieces that were too small to salvage up and threw them away. “Christ, I can't do anything right.”\n\n“Hey,” Steve cooed. “That's not true. It's a new house and we're all unfamiliar with where everything is.”\n\nBucky stared at him for a long moment, his brows pulling together as he pouted. “I'm gonna go smoke. I need some shitty air.”\n\nSteve nodded, watching Bucky exit through the backdoor. He moved to the kitchen sink, keeping an eye on Bucky as he walked around outside in the sunset. Bucky walked over to the pond and seemed to be investigating it. He was startled by something, which caused Steve to lean forward on the sink as he strained to keep watching.\n\nBucky moved into the pond, the water going up to his knees. He reached down, and pulled something up. It was muddy and Steve couldn't tell what it was from here. \nCurious, Steve wanted to go out and join Bucky, but he knew he would be in soon. He could [[wait]]. He would wait, because something moved in the corner of his eye...

Natasha and Clint also entered the room. Natasha’s hands went over her mouth as she gasped. “Oh Bucky!” she cried out. “I’m so sorry.” \n\nSteve winced. Natasha and Clint, hell, every one of his friends had been there the night Bucky’s grandma gave Bucky the china bowl. He’d cried back then, hugging his grandma and thanking her over and over in Russian. She didn’t speak English. \n\n“Bucky…” Steve whispered. “I’m sure…I knocked when I grabbed the serving plate.” \n\nBucky looked up, his eyes glared at the box sitting atop the breakfast table. “It’s sitting up, Steve. How does a bowl fall from a box that’s sitting up?” \n\n“That’s freaky,” Clint said, going over to the box and looking inside. “Maybe the box flipped back up after the weight fell? Gravity does that kinda shit.” \n\nSteve pressed a kiss against Bucky’s cheek. “I’m so sorry, baby.” \n\nBucky stood up, still staring at the box. He wiped at his eyes. Pulling out another bowl from a different china set and marched up to the cabinets to place it atop them. He struggled, as he wasn’t as tall as Steve, but he’d reached it eventually. Steve winced as guilt ate away at his heart, leaving it exposed and raw. Bucky had a close relationship with his grandma before she passed. He’d also been there to take care of her before she died. It had been a rough time for him. Before she died, Steve was so sure Bucky would call off the wedding on account of her death, but he didn’t. “Where’s my cat?”\n\n“He’s in the foyer,” Natasha responded, wrapping an arm around Clint as she raised up her other hand, sporting the cat bite. “He bit me.”\n\nBucky turned around, his brow furrowed as he looked at the bite. “Ah shit, I’m sorry Tash."\n\nNatasha shrugged. “No worries. Clint patched me up nicely.”\n\nClint sported a goofy smile; like a proper dope of a man. Steve would have chucked, except he felt so guilty. He must have knocked the bowl. How else could it have fallen? No one was in the room yet…\n\n“Lucy! I’m home!” Tony called into the house. “Can we shut the door yet? I don’t see any boxes left!”\n\nClint, Bruce and Natasha went out into the foyer to greet Tony. Steve also assumed Thor would be right behind him, or at least he’d arrive shortly. \nBucky leaned against the sink, grimacing as he stared down at the broken shards on the floor. “I gotta clean this up.”\n\nSteve pursed his lips. “How ‘bout I clean it? You go relax. It’s been a long enough day.”\n\nBucky sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. “Steve,” he groaned out. “How does a bowl fall from an upside right box?” \n\nSteve looked over at the box. He had to have knocked it somehow. It had to have been him. It was impossible for a bowl to simply float up and fall. “Go be social. I’ll deal with this.” \n\nBucky went up to him, slipping his hands around his middle and sliding them down to squeeze his ass. “I love you, Steve Rogers-Barnes.” He kissed Steve softly at first, as if the kiss would be fragile, but Steve was pushed against the wall. Bucky turned his head, deepening the kiss as he slid his tongue into Steve’s mouth, massaging his tongue over Steve’s before swirling around it once and giving it a final lap. He pulled back. “I can’t wait till we’re makin’ love in that bed.”\n \nSteve felt his cheeks heat up as a soft, shy smile ghosted across his lips. “I love you too, James Barnes-Rogers.” \n\nBucky rolled his eyes, moving back and pointing to the shards on the floor. “Clean up, boy!” he teased, snapping his fingers. “I’ll hook up the TV.”\n\nSteve walked over to the basement door. He opened it, feeling a gust of cold wind erupt from the lower level. He furrowed his brow. How was there a draft down there? He stared into the darkness for a moment before grabbing the broom and dustpan that were hooked on the wall. \n\nHe listened to the soft chatter from his friends in the other room, smiling as they laughed and rolling his eyes as they shot teasing jabs at each other. He swept up the china pieces, pushing them into a nice pile in the middle of the room. He crouched down, preparing to sweep the pieces into the pan.\n\n“Hey,” someone said behind him; it sounded like Bucky.\n\nSteve smiled as he finished up sweeping the shards into the pan. “Buck, I told you to-” The words fell from his mouth, never to be spoken as he looked behind him. No one was there. \n\n“And then I was like, “Seriously, bitch? I was here for five minutes!” Bucky shouted in the other room, clearly telling some story where someone had pissed him off. Several waves of laughter erupted following his dramatic statement.\n\nSteve furrowed his brow, his gaze darting to each corner of the kitchen and glancing over to the glass-enclosed bonus room. No one was around… He could have sworn someone said something… That wasn't just his mind playing tricks on him. He'd very clearly heard someone. He knew Bucky's voice better than he knew his own...\n\nHe looked back down to the glass shards; hastily picking the pan up and going over to the trash can to dump it. He looked around the room, feeling a cold chill start at the base of his spine and crawl every-so-slowly up his back and into the back of his neck; bristling the hairs at the base of his skull. He felt like someone was watching him. \n\nHe wanted to [[go into the other room]] with his friends, but part of him also wanted to [[make sure no one was hiding]] in the glass bonus room...\n

"Yeah, we can tell 'em after I shower." Bucky kissed Steve's lips quickly, smiling. "I need a bit of alone time."\n\nSteve nodded, leaning back on the bed. "I get that. It's been a fucked up day. Creepy dolls and all."\n\n"I'm just glad none of it was real. I got worried."\n\nSteve nodded. "Same."\n\n-[[POV Switch: Keep Door Wide Open]]- or -[[POV Switch: Crack door just a tad]]-

Steve took a moment to step back, wiping his forehead of sweat as he looked up at the two-story, white Victorian house he and Bucky had settled on. They’d been talking about finding a place to really call home after living for several months with their friend Tony in his condo down in Manhattan. After Pepper, Tony’s girlfriend moved in, things were getting a bit too tight. Steve was so sure Bucky would want to go back to Brooklyn, where they’d grown up, but Bucky was adamant about finding a quiet, secluded house tucked away with a long driveway and woods in upstate New York. Steve was pretty sure it had something to do with the small fantasy Bucky had expressed about being able to play football with his children out in the front lawn. The house’s yard was beautiful, with lush green grass and down the gentle, rolling hill was a pond with a small dock. This was perfect for them to really start to settle down and raise a family. Bucky adored the yard, but Steve loved the interior. The house had high ceilings, crown molding and sparkling, original crystal chandeliers. He could picture them now, raising their first child as they set up a tall Christmas tree and wore the dorkiest of sweaters. This house was the start of something beautiful for them.\n\nThey’d gotten the house for a steal as well. The realtor didn’t give out too many details, but there’d been an accident on the property and some people had died. Bucky didn’t mind, considering his line of work was forensic pathology- he saw plenty of dead bodies on a regular basis and Steve was a police officer who’d worked many nights in Manhattan.\n\n“Hey Steve!” Tony called as he helped Bucky carry in a sofa. “Wanna stop admiring my ass and get over here?”\n\nSteve rolled his eyes. [[He could say something snarky back]], or [[he could simply just pick up one of the countless boxes around him and help out. ]]\n\n

“No offense, Bucky,” Clint began. “But Steve’s right. I’d rather have my back to a wall than be out with my pants down. I already did that today.” Natasha curled her arms around Clint’s waist, nuzzling against his neck. \n\nBucky sighed, having nothing to say about the situation. They’d all decided on something different and that’s what they were going to do. It didn’t matter that Bucky had a really bad feeling about being so close to that fireplace. \n\n“We need weapons,” Steve suggested. \n\n“Like what? What can protect us from ghosts?” Clint asked as they walked into the parlor. \n\nBucky sat on the sofa, staring at the fireplace. He’d make damn sure nothing sparked. \n\n“Salt,” Tony said with a flick of his wrist. “Crosses. Garlic? Oh wait, that’s vampires. But I’d wager you all believe in those now too?”\n\n“Tony,” Bucky hissed. “Really? Look, we’re not asking you to believe us. Just help us. Or you can sit by yourself.”\n\n“I may just do that,” Tony replied, leaning against the parlor’s large archway.\n\nSteve moved into Tony’s personal space. “What’re you doing, Tony?” Steve asked. Their noses were barely touching. Bucky’s mouth dropped open as he watched them puff up their chests and clench their fists. His eyes flicked over to the fireplace again and then back to the men who were bristling faster than male lions during mating season.\n\n“I’m being logical.” \n\n“What the fuck is all this then?” Steve asked, pointing toward the front door. “Explain the cars!”\n\n“Kids. Pranks.”\n\n“This is an expensive prank,” Bruce mumbled. \n\n“Look, I’ll help out! I’ll go along with this but you can’t expect me to believe something science has not told me exists!”\n\n“Steve,” Bucky whispered, moving to grab his husband’s hand. “Let it go.” He looked over to the fireplace again. \n\nSteve glared at Tony one last time before tearing off into the hall beneath the staircase. “Weapons. Now.” \n\nThey rummaged through the hall closet for some bats. Bruce actually did go into the kitchen and grab some salt (“I’m curious!”). \n\nThey all sat down in the parlor. Bucky was still transfixed on the fireplace. He refused to sit near it. \n\nSteve slunk his fingers into Bucky’s. They laced their fingers together. “I love you,” Steve whispered.\n\nBucky leaned against him, still watching the fireplace. “Love you too.” \n\n“So we’re really gonna sit like this all night?” Tony provoked. “All fucking night.”\n\n“Shut up, Tony,” Steve hissed. “You don’t like it, you can leave.”\n\n“Fine. I will. I’ll grab your bed and sleep on it.” \n\n“Tony wait! Please!” Bucky urged, his eyes crinkling from urgency. “Please stay.” \n\nTony shrugged. “I’m proving a point. It was a shitty prank, but it was just a prank.” He stood up and jogged up the stairs.\n\n“God damn it,” Clint groaned under his breath. “We should go after him.”\n\n“I’ll go,” Bruce offered, moving to stand up.\n\n“No,” Steve said. “Let him prove his point.” \n\n“Steve,” Bucky gasped, staring at the blond. “He could die.” \n\nSteve furrowed his brow, clearly locked in a heated battle with himself. His chest rose and fell. Bucky reached out, pressing his hand against Steve’s sternum. \n\n“He could die, Steve,” Bucky said again. “We should bring him back.”\n\n[[POV Switch Bring Him Back]] [[POV Switch Let him be]]\n

“RUN!” Bucky shouted. He mentally kicked himself, looking back to see Steve doing his best on a sprained ankle. The zombie girl moved fast, like a spider. “STEVE!” \n\n“GET TO THE POND!” Steve screamed. He turned to the zombie, balling his fists up.\n\n“NO!” Bucky turned around as she climbed atop Steve, biting and snarling down at him. Her fingers turned to talons and she screamed like a banshee, blood and saliva dripping onto Steve’s face. Bucky was almost there when Tony grabbed him by the waist.\n\n“WE HAVE TO DO THIS, BARNES!” He pushed Bucky backward, toward the pond.\n\n“STEVE!” Bucky screamed, eyes wet. \n\n“LET’S MOVE!” Tony said urgently.\n\nBucky turned, tears streaming from his eyes. Bruce was already in the pond, sloshing and diving under and tossing mud up. The book was abandoned on the side. \n\nBucky turned to look at Steve. He’d die… If this didn’t work, if nothing was there… Then Steve would die for nothing. \n\nBucky dove into the water, grabbing at the bottom of the dark pond’s muddy waters. He gasped, coming back up. Tony was tossing rocks at the zombie girl. She’d scream at him, batting them away. \n\n“Keep digging!” Bruce called.\n\nBucky went under again. It was almost peaceful, cool beneath the waters. He could hear Bruce moving too, but the world wasn’t so urgent under here. He wished he could just slip to the bottom and die. It wouldn’t be so bad a way to go—better than the way his husband was… \n\nHe screamed into the water, reaching out and clawing at the pit of the pond. Something sharp cut him and he tugged it out. It looked like a simple steak knife. He tossed it to the side, diving back under. When he reached out again, something slimy and fleshy was in his hand. He opened his eyes, startling when he saw the decaying body of the girl who probably died here. She looked just like the zombie girl. \n\nHe pulled the body out, groaning. Skin slipped off it, bone shining into the sky like a diamond. \n\n“Cut her heart out!” Bruce yelled, moving through the pond toward the shore. “That’s step one!” \n\nBucky grabbed the steak knife. He wouldn’t question its placement. It looked old—maybe from when the house was built. One of the workers perhaps. He stabbed into the girl, panicking when water and goo sloshed out. “There’s—uh—there’s no heart!” \n\nBruce grabbed the knife. “It’s decayed. Keep slashing.” Bruce wielded the knife like a hunter skinned a deer. He drew the blade over the girl, hacking her front to pieces. More and more water spilled from her.\n\nThe zombie girl started shrieking. Tony was throwing sticks at her now. Bucky wanted to laugh. He was too afraid to get close, but at least he was trying to help Steve. Her body caved in on itself. Steve scrambled away, his shirt torn open and bloody.\n\nBucky ran, listening to the vicious sounds of bones snapping and the girl’s last mangled screams. He fell next to Steve, pulling his husband into his lap. \nSteve laughed, then coughed. He furrowed his brow, gasping. “That’s not somethin’ I ever wanna do again.” \n\n“No,” Bucky said, kissing Steve’s face. “I hope you never have to.” \n\n“What now?” Tony asked. “He okay?”\n\n“Yeah,” Bucky said through a smile. Steve was cupping his face, stroking the curve of his jaw. “Yeah he’s okay.” They kissed, brief and too chaste but it wasn’t over yet. \n\nBruce had the book again, sopping wet and muddy. He was paging through, his eyes scanning over it like a machine analyzed data. “Fuck I wish I read it fluently. I think we—”\n“You have two options,” a voice said. \n\nA dark shadow appeared. Ethereal gray bodies of several people showed up, faceless. “Add to my collection willingly, or you’ll wish you’d given your lives willingly.”\n\n“That doesn’t sound like much of a choice,” Steve said. He rolled out of Bucky’s arms to stand on his own. Jaw raised proudly, he balled his hands into fists, staring. “We’re not afraid anymore.” \n\n“Is that so?” The shadow moved closer. “You smell of fear.” \n\nSteve’s lip twitched. It was enough for Bucky to know he was downright terrified. \n\n“I need only lovers,” the shadow spoke. “I get what I want, and I leave you forever.” \n\n“That’s us,” Bucky said. “So we go peacefully and it doesn’t hurt?” \n\nThe shadow laughed. “You’re not the only lovers.” \n\nBucky looked to Bruce and Tony. They wore matching looks of guilt, hands reaching out to grab each other. \n\n“Oh,” Bucky said. “Oh my God…”\n\n“But Pepper?” Steve asked, stepping back awkwardly. \n\n“She doesn’t know…” Tony admitted. He let out a shaky breath. \n\n“Choose. [[Them]] or [[you]].”\n

Bruce and Tony were outside, heaving. Sweat clung to their faces and Tony’s sleeve was torn. Steve hobbled awkwardly over, reaching out to examine him. Bucky nodded firmly, swallowing. \n“Rough night?” he asked.\n“Fuck you man. After you two abandoned us, we got chased outta the house by the zombie girl.” Bruce shivered. “You shoulda smelled her.”\n\nBucky winced. “How is it now?” \n\n“Quiet,” Tony said. “She scratched me though. Hope I don’t turn into a zombie too. That’d be such a shame.” He shrugged, like the thought didn’t actually scare him. It did. Bucky could see it in the way he clenched his jaw. \n\n“We found this book?” Steve said, offering it to Bruce. “Dunno what language it is.” \n\nBruce took it, furrowing his brow. “It’s Sanskrit.”\n\n“Can you read it?” Steve asked.\n\nBruce narrowed his eyes. “I lived in India. I know my way around their ancient texts.”\n\nTony scoffed, rolling his eyes.\n\n“Hey! It’s useful for science. You should learn another language, Stark.”\n\n“Please. That’s why I hire secretaries.” \n\n“Less bickering, more figuring out how we survive this?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded. \n\nBruce paged through the book, his face contorting to surprise, brows rising, to concern, brows furrowing. He chewed his lower lip, nodding along. “I can’t read all of it, but I think I know what’s happening.” \n\n“What?” Steve and Bucky asked at the same time.\n\nBruce paused, his eyes rounding in surprise at their expletive. “It’s a sacrifice. Lovers, usually.” \n\n“Oh,” Bucky said, feeling his stomach drop. Of course. Newlyweds moving into a house with bright ideas of starting lives together only to have it brutally taken away. \n“Hey,” Steve pulled Bucky into his arms, “don’t look so glum. This ain’t over yet.”\n\n“They’re demons, Steve. We ain’t gotta chance.” \n\n“Well, they just need any lovers, once they get them, they leave.” Bruce shrugged. “Nat—” He bit his lip. “Well, Clint’s not dead…so…” \n\nBucky bit the inside of his cheek. He’d never wish that upon anyone, but the fact that he felt some bitter resentment at Clint for not dying made him dizzy. He wanted to live with Steve so badly. He wanted that family, that yard and the dog. He wanted Steve coming home from a rough night to a nice dinner or Bucky coming home to a rose petal oiled bath and a lot of kisses. He hung his head, sniffing. “Has anyone seen my cat?”\n\n“I think he bolted,” Tony said. “Why?”\n\n“I just wanted to know…” Bucky whispered, staring at his feet. He wanted to know what would happen to Pietro once he was gone… \n\n“I guess we just go back inside and get it over with?” Bucky asked.\n\n“Buck, no.” Steve grabbed his hand, shaking his head. The ever vigilant Steve Rogers. He looked so beautiful in the cloudy night. At least the rain stopped. “We don’t give up.” \n“Is there anything in there that says how we can fight them?” Tony asked, crossing his arms. \n\n“Let me keep looking.” Bruce bit his thumb lightly, his gaze scanning the page. “There’s a thing in here about water and mud, like it’s holding a key? Or something? Muddy water? Small body?”\n\n“The pond,” Bucky said. “It’s talking about the pond, right?”\n\nSteve jumped, momentarily elated. “Yes! It has to! What’s it say?!” \n\nA groan echoed into the night air. They all looked up, seeing the zombie girl hobbling down the stairs. Her neck swung like a door hinge, but her gaze never wavered. Dark, hollow and grotesque. Her fingers twitched, like a puppet master yanking on the strings. \n\n“Oh God.” Bucky grabbed Steve’s shoulders. “What do we do?” \n\n“[[Run to the pond]]?” Steve asked.\n\n“[[We could fight her? Punch? Kick?]] I don’t know?” Tony suggested. \n

“Steve, seriously get your ass in here!” Tony shouted. \n\n“Go,” Bucky whispered. “I’ll come with. We can talk about it later.” \n\nSteve cupped Bucky’s cheek, thumbing over those beautiful, curved lips. “You sure? We can leave if you really want.”\n\nBucky sniffed and offered a lazy shrug. “I'm being irrational.”\n\nSteve laughed airly. "Lil' bit."\n\n"Hey!" Bucky protested, smacking Steve's chest with the back of his hand. "Punk." \n\n“Steve! SERIOUSLY!” Natasha yelled this time. \n\n“Hold on!” Steve called back. He laced his fingers with Bucky’s as they started to walk back into the other room. He looked over his shoulder at the doll. She’d slumped over. Steve couldn’t be sure if that made him nervous or not…\n\n“Alright, what?” Steve snapped. He hadn’t meant to sound so angry but Bucky was still trembling next to him and he was slowly losing his cool. Not to mention the rain was starting to pitter-patter against the windows as if someone was throwing buckets of water at them. \n\n“He’s feeling better,” Tony said, motioning to Bruce. “But he’s got something you wanna hear.”\n\n“Both of you…” Natasha added. Her face was tight, lips pouted and brow slightly creased. Steve felt his stomach attempt to coil in on itself. \n\n“I was putting your…toys in the basement,” Bruce said softly, his lips a light blue. He was still huddled under countless blankets. \n\n“Our sex toys?” Bucky asked incredulously. \n\n“Yes!” Bruce said loudly. “I thought it’d be a funny joke. You two getting hot n’ heavy and suddenly, oh wait, where’re the anal beads?”\n\nClint snorted. Natasha elbowed him. \n\n“As I was leaving someone tugged me into the back room. I thought it was one of you so I stayed and turned around and…” His face drained of all color and Steve swore he saw his lips go two shades bluer. “There was a boy. Cold as ice. He said, “I just wanted to be warm.” Bruce looked up at Steve with desperate, pleading eyes. Those were the eyes of a man who swore up and down he was telling the truth. Those were the eyes of a man who sought to tell no joke. \n\nSteve scratched at the back of his neck. His toes started to tingle as he fought the urge to run away. He didn’t want to hear this anymore. All of this was getting to be too much. “Y-you sure you saw a boy?” Steve asked; his voice uncharacteristically weak. It felt like ice water had rushed into his stomach.\n\nBruce nodded. “How else do you explain this?”\n\n“Allergies? Maybe you hit your head and you were down there a lot longer than we thought?” Tony offered. \n\n“No…he was upstairs with me till I went into the basement with Steve,” Clint said. “He wasn’t down there long.” \n\n“We’ve had doors open all day,” Tony said. “Someone could have just gotten in and wanted to play a prank. Your mind could have started playing tricks on you after that.” \n\n“Whatever you say, Tony,” Bruce responded. “I’m not sleeping alone tonight.” \n\n"Don't worry, I'll stay with you," Tony said reassuringly.\n\nBucky wrapped his fingers around Steve’s wrist. “Steve…” he whispered. “The girl outside.”\n\nSteve closed his eyes. “Bucky thinks he saw a girl outside,” he resigned; shoulders slumping. Despite Steve having an affinity for art, Bucky was always the more imaginative of the two. Perhaps it was because he looked at murder scenes day in and day out at work. Steve attempted to see reason and analyze cold hard evidence, as a police officer is trained to do. Bucky always looked for the creativity, the imagination. Being a pathologist had made him quick to panic and always assume the worst. Seeing countless dead bodies, blood and gore… It took a toll on a person and this was Bucky’s price for doing what he loved.\n\nBruce’s eyes went wide. “She talk to you?”\n\n“No,” Bucky said. “I don’t know if I really even saw her. I think I did. I just…that stupid doll was outside and I thought I heard a girl laughing.”\n\n“What stupid doll?”\n\n“It’s in the kitchen,” Bucky said as he motioned for Natasha to follow him. \n\nTogether, they walked back into the kitchen only for Bucky’s mouth to drop open as he whirled around back to face Steve. “Steve,” he hissed out. “The doll’s gone…”\n[[Try to be logical]] [[Proceed With Caution]]

Bucky clicked his tongue but he pulled down Steve’s briefs, letting his erection flop up lazily against his abdomen. “Alright, alright,” Bucky gave in. “Just cause you’re cock’s so pretty and tastes so good.” \n\nSteve watched Bucky flick his tongue over the tip. He slammed his head back as he grit his teeth. Bucky knew all the ways to get Steve worked up and even if he wasn’t teasing him, he certainly wasn’t aiming to get Steve off fast. \n\nBucky ran his tongue along the base to the tip, swirling around it softly. He pumped with his hand a few times at the base, looking up. “You like that, doll?”\n\nSteve nodded, biting his lip. \n\n“I can’t hear you…” \n\n“Yes, Bucky,” Steve whispered. “Yes I like it.”\n\nBucky hummed in approval. He scooted closer, looking up, making sure Steve’s gaze was focused on him. A flash of lightning lit up the room. Steve was momentarily disoriented by how big Bucky’s pupils were. \n\nBucky kissed the tip of Steve’s cock, keeping his gaze focused on Steve’s as he slowly made out with the tip of Steve's dick. He grabbed at the base, stroking it slowly. \n\nSteve’s head slammed back into the wall again. “Mmm, Bucky,” he whined. “God, you’re so good, baby.”\n\nBucky laughed around Steve’s cock. He sucked more in, using his tongue to direct Steve’s dick into the center of his hot mouth. He let his teeth lightly drag along it, making Steve’s heart jump into his throat. He hated it…but he knew Bucky loved it, so he let it happen… \n\nBucky pressed his lips against the tip, sliding them with ease from the saliva. Steve’s breath hitched in the back of his throat as he attempted not to moan.\n \nBucky seemed dissatisfied with that, because he took more of Steve into his mouth, sliding his tongue back and forth against the underside. He looked up again, watching Steve’s face intently as he would slurp loudly against Steve’s cock.\n\n \n“Ah…ah!” Steve panted. Bucky went crazy for the sounds Steve would make and Steve would put up a fight each and every time about it. He hated sounding like a frat boy slut but… Bucky always got him that way. \n\nBucky reached up to finger at Steve’s balls, caressing them lightly with the tips of his fingers. He swirled his tongue around Steve’s cock again, pulling back and smacking loudly as he let a small trail of saliva glisten from his wet, swollen lips to the tip of Steve’s penis. He smiled triumphantly, pressing a finger against Steve’s slit and circling it softly. \n\n“Ff-fuck! B-Bucky!” Steve whined out, his back arching. “Please…more.”\n\n“M’just admiring it, Stevie,” he said softly. “You’ve got the prettiest cock I’ve ever seen.”\n\nSteve rolled his eyes. “C’mon, Bucky… We should get back downstairs.”\n\nBucky sighed. “You’re no fun, Rogers.”\n\n“Rogers-Barnes,” Steve corrected. “We’re married, jackass.” \n\nBucky placed his teeth gently against the tip of Steve’s cock, threatening a bite that Steve wasn’t honestly sure would come or not. He wouldn’t be surprised if Bucky did put a bit of pressure down… He stopped breathing; waiting for the inevitable pain that would surely kill his boner. \n\nHowever, Bucky just sucked Steve loudly back into his mouth, looking back down as he focused on tracing his tongue along the thick veins of Steve’s dick. His hand still played with Steve’s balls lazily. \n\nSteve let his head rest back against the wall, his eyes slipping shut as his mouth dropped open. “Ah…ah…ah…” \nBucky bobbed his head rhythmically back and forth, grabbing at Steve’s hand and putting it at the back of his skull. \n\nSteve wove his fingers into Bucky’s shaggy brown hair, petting him adoringly. “Ff-fuck…” \n\nBucky pressed his tongue along the underside of Steve’s tip, flicking it quickly, making Steve’s knees feel like they were going to give out any moment. Bucky knew that’s where Steve really liked it. Steve's grip on Bucky’s head tightened as he started to fuck into his lover's mouth. \n\nBucky let him, opening his mouth wider and hollowing out his cheeks. Drool glistened off Bucky’s chin as Steve rocked his hips, gently forcing more of his cock in and out of Bucky’s eager, perfect mouth. He felt Bucky’s gag reflexes clamp around him, pulling a heat up into the base of his abdomen. \n\n“Ah…Bucky…you’re mouth’s so…so fucking good…so…so hot…wet…” he mewled out. God, at this rate he was going to come soon. \n\nBucky pushed at Steve’s hips, taking back control and slurping wetly around Steve’s cock. He ran his tongue along the length, making sure to slip it over the slit and swirl around the tip. \n\nSteve’s legs started to shake. He wanted to collapse. He brought both hands against Bucky’s head now, using him partly for support. “Ah…ah fuck…fuck, Bucky!” he whined. He slammed his head back against the wall. He could have sworn he heard someone on the other side smack back… "Bu-ucky…” he whined in a desperate vibrato. “F-ffuck…” \n\nBucky quickened his pace. He sucked hard at Steve’s tip, flicking his tongue, over and over again, against the underside as he worked the base with his saliva coated hand. He looked up, catching Steve’s hooded gaze. Pulling back, Bucky flicked his tongue out like a snake at Steve’s slit.\nSteve momentarily doubled over, letting out a wrecked moan before smashing himself back against the wall. Again…there was that echo of someone hitting the wall back…\n\n“G-God! Bucky…Bucky I’m gonna…I’m gonna come,” he announced through clenched teeth. \n\nBucky took all of Steve in his mouth, letting droll slip down his chin and onto his shirt as he slurped heavily against Steve’s throbbing cock. He squeezed at Steve’s sac, pushing them up lightly into Steve’s body. \n\nSteve felt the heat coil around the base of his spine, he felt his cock pulse with excited tremors as his orgasm built up within him. He rocked into Bucky’s mouth, quickening the pace and slamming back against the inside of Bucky’s throat. Bucky gagged loudly, his muscles fluttering around Steve’s dick. \n\n“Ah! Ah! FUCK! FUCK!” Steve screamed out as his orgasm flowed through him. He slammed his head back against the wall, garnering no echo this time… It was odd. But his mind was too clouded with how delicious Bucky’s mouth was to think much further on it. \n\nBucky swallowed most of Steve’s come down. Some had managed to dribble down his chin and was sliding lazily down his neck. Steve ran his fingers over it, tracing it along the grooves of Bucky’s throat. \n\n“Christ, Bucky…” Steve gasped. “You fucking suck like a Hoover.” \n\nBucky stood up, wiping at the semen on his neck. “Your body drives me crazy,” he answered casually as he turned for the bathroom. “Did you hear someone banging on the wall?” he called from the bathroom. \n\nSteve was slipping into his sweats. “Y-yeah… I thought it was just me.” \n\n“I dunno. That sounded like someone else was up here.” \n“You think it was Nat or someone?” Steve asked as he walked toward the bathroom doors. He was getting damn tired of the events of the day. Bucky was over the sink, washing his face off. Steve smirked. He loved watching Bucky clean himself up. \n\n“Shit, if she was, she better be fucking wet as a dam now,” Bucky responded. “I was fucking on that shit.”\n\nSteve walked into the bathroom, pressing his chest against Bucky’s back and licking at the shell of his ear. “Mm, yeah you were, baby.” \n\nBucky toweled his face dry. He wrapped a hand around the back of Steve’s neck as he pressed himself back into Steve. “I love you.” \n\n“I love you too,” Steve answered warmly. “Should we [[go back down]]? Or do we wanna [[see if someone’s up here]]?”\n

Bucky rolled onto his stomach, wiggling his ass. “Make love to me.” \n\nSteve hummed, crawling atop Bucky. He rocked against Bucky’s ass, kissing the back of his neck. “I’m gonna take good care of you.” \n\nBucky sighed, using his arms as a pillow. “I know.” \n\nSteve lifted Bucky’s hips, helping his husband out of his pants and briefs. He sucked a finger into his mouth before bringing it to Bucky’s hole. “We don’t got any lube in here.”\n\n“S’fine,” Bucky said, arching back into Steve. “It’ll be fast anyway. I just need this to focus.” \n\n“Same.” Steve circled Bucky’s hole, pressing a finger inside. The sensation warmed Bucky’s body, pulling away his headache. His shoulders relaxed. He felt like he was melting into the bed. He hummed, rocking back. \n\n“More.”\n\n“You ain’t kiddin’.” Steve laughed, pushing his finger in further. He circled it inside, letting it touch Bucky deeply, like a bee finding the best pollen in a flower—gentle and reverent. “You do want it fast.” \n\n“I just need it out of my system.” Bucky didn’t want to explain that he feared this was the last time they could ever do this. “Eat me out?” \n\nSteve laughed again, a deep rumble that vibrated his whole body. God, he was so pure. Why was a horrible thing happening to such a good person? Bucky wanted this house. He saw the deal and he begged Steve. It wasn’t Steve’s fault. \n\nSteve undid his pants. He yanked Bucky at the knees and brought him to the edge of the bed. “Roll over.” \n\nBucky did, wrapping his legs around his husband. “I love you.” \n\nSteve rolled his eyes. “Don’t get all sappy when I’m about to eat your ass.” He playfully bit an asscheek. “That’s just gross.”\n\nBucky snorted, thrusting his hips. “Lick it, punk.” \n\n“Mmm.” Steve was gentle at first, taking his time and taunting Bucky with little kitten licks that sent wildfire into Bucky’s nerves. Blood rushed in his head, making his vision foggy. He held onto Steve’s hair, whining. Steve’s tongue crept in deeper, lapping hungrily and Bucky was powerless. \n\nPowerless. Like everyone in this house was. \n\nHe rocked his hips, getting saliva on his ass and listening to the sharp sounds of Steve’s breathing. Steve reached up, casually pumping at Bucky’s cock.\n“Oh fuck yes baby,” Bucky rushed out, dropping his head back. “Oh fuck me.” \n\nSteve didn’t. He curled his tongue, slipping it back and forth like gentle ocean waves, never-ending and patient. Bucky feared they didn’t have that kind of time. He grabbed Steve’s head, pulling it back. “I said fuck me, Steve!”\n\nSteve’s eyes flashed, something sorrowful, like a child learning that life isn’t forever—like losing a precious moment because time is a vicious snarled vine that suffocates everyone slowly. “Okay.” He untucked himself, spitting into his hand. “I could get lube.”\n\n“I don’t want you to leave me.” Bucky stared at the ceiling. “We’re already risking it enough.” \n\n“Why are we?” Steve asked. “Risking?” He traced his fingers where Bucky’s legs met his pelvis. It tickled, but not enough for Bucky to jerk away. \n\n“Because I’m scared.” \n\n“Okay,” Steve said. “I just—I just needed to make sure.”\n\n“Make sure what?”\n\n“That we were both scared.” \n\nBucky closed his eyes. He’d cry if he didn’t. Maybe he’d see a ghost if he didn’t… It wouldn’t surprise him anymore. “Make love to me—because I’m scared it may be the last time.” \nBucky heard the sharp sounds of sobs echo into the barren room. Steve pulled Bucky closer to the edge of the bed. \n\n“You sure you [[want it like this]]?” Steve asked, tears glistening in his eyes—forlorn lovers. “It doesn’t have to [[be like this]].” \n

"As fun as this would be, we really shouldn't." Steve kissed Bucky's lips, content to begin making love with his husband when they heard a pounding noise on the wall.\n\nBoth of them stilled, blinking at each other.\n\n"Uh?"\n\n"What the shit?" Bucky moved over to the door, staring at it. “Should we [[go back down]]? Or do we wanna [[see if someone’s up here]]?”\n\n

“Give me a minute, Tony!” Steve called into the other room as he refused to take his eyes of Bucky. His husband was a nervous mess and Steve’s duty was to him above all others. “C’mere, baby,” he whispered. \n\nBucky collapsed into Steve’s arms again. Tears were slipping from his eyes as he sobbed quietly. “M’ sorry, Stevie, m’ so sorry…” he stumbled out through his sobs. “It’s so stupid. I know it’s so stupid but I’m so scared.”\n\nSteve caressed his fingers through Bucky’s hair, letting his husband cry into his shoulder. For Bucky to get this worked up…he must have really thought he heard something. Bucky never got this upset over anything. Steve was always the one getting worked up and upset. Bucky always kept his cool. Steve’s gaze trailed over to that doll again. He narrowed his eyes at it as if there was some unspoken challenge there. It had upset Bucky…now it became personal. \n\n“Steve, seriously get your ass in here!” Tony shouted. \n\n“Go,” Bucky whispered. “I’ll come with. We can talk about it later.” \n\nSteve cupped Bucky’s cheek, thumbing over those beautiful, curved lips. “You sure? You don’t wanna leave?”\n\nBucky sniffed and offered a lazy shrug. “Bruce can’t leave. He needs more help than me.”\n\n“Steve! Seriously!” Natasha yelled this time. \n\n“Hold on!” Steve called back. He laced his fingers with Bucky’s as they started to walk back into the other room. He looked over his shoulder at the doll. She’d slumped over. Steve couldn’t be sure if that made him nervous or not…\n\n“Alright, what?” Steve snapped. He hadn’t meant to sound so angry but Bucky was still trembling next to him and he was slowly losing his cool. Not to mention the rain was starting to pitter-patter against the windows as if someone was throwing buckets of water at them. \n\n“He’s feeling better,” Tony said, motioning to Bruce. “But he’s got something you wanna hear.”\n\n“Both of you…” Natasha added. Her face was tight, lips pouted and brow slightly creased. Steve felt his stomach attempt to coil in on itself. \n\n“I was putting your...toys...in the basement,” Bruce said softly, his lips a light blue. He was still huddled under countless blankets. \n\n“Our sex toys?” Bucky asked incredulously. \n\n“Yes!” Bruce said loudly. “I thought it’d be a funny joke. You two getting hot n’ heavy and suddenly, oh wait, where’s the vibrator?”\n\nClint snorted. Natasha elbowed him. \n\n“As I was leaving someone tugged me into the back room. I thought it was one of you so I stayed and turned around and…” His face drained of all color and Steve swore he saw his lips go two shades bluer. “There was a boy. Cold as ice. He said, “I just wanted to be warm.” Bruce looked up at Steve with desperate, pleading eyes. Those were the eyes of a man who swore up and down he was telling the truth. Those were the eyes of a man who sought no joke. \n\nSteve scratched at the back of his neck. His toes started to tingle as he fought the urge to run away. He didn’t want to hear this anymore. All of this was getting to be too much. “Y-you sure you saw a boy?” Steve asked; his voice uncharacteristically weak. \n\nBruce nodded. “How else do you explain this?”\n\n“Allergies? Maybe you hit your head and you were down there a lot longer than we thought?” Tony offered. \n\n“No…he was upstairs with me till I went into the basement with Steve,” Clint said. “He wasn’t down there long.” \n\n“We’ve had doors open all day,” Tony spoke. “Someone could have just gotten in and wanted to play a prank. Your mind could have started playing tricks on you after that.” \n\n“Whatever you say, Tony,” Bruce responded. “I’m not sleeping alone tonight.” \n\nBucky wrapped his fingers around Steve’s wrist. “Steve…” he whispered. “The girl outside.”\n\nSteve closed his eyes. “Bucky thinks he saw a girl outside,” he resigned; shoulders slumping. \n\nBruce’s eyes went wide. “She talk to you?”\n\n“No,” Bucky said. “I don’t know if I really even saw her. I think I did. I just…that stupid doll was outside and I thought I heard a girl laughing.”\n\n“What stupid doll?”\n\n“It’s in the kitchen,” Bucky said as he motioned for Natasha to follow him. \n\nTogether, they walked back into the kitchen only for Bucky’s mouth to drop open as he whirled around back to face Steve. “Steve,” he hissed out. “The doll’s gone…”\n[[Try to be logical]] [[Start believing]] \n

“Oh fuck me,” Steve breathed out. “Over the car, over the fucking car.” \n\nBucky smiled darkly, tugging Steve’s pants off entirely and dropping them to the side. He stood up, catching Steve’s mouth with his. Their tongues swirled around each other, lips twisting and teeth clattering. Bucky rolled his hips into Steve, pushing his hardening cock against Steve. “Jerk me off a bit?” he breathed out. “Don’t got no lube.”\n\nSteve reached down, tilting his head to catch Bucky’s lips in his. He slipped his hand into Bucky’s pants, curling his fingers around Bucky and pumping slowly. He teased at the slit, circling the pad of his finger against it.\n\nBucky moaned into his mouth, grinding hard against Steve’s body, pushing him harder against the car. \n\n“I don’t care,” Steve whispered back. “Just use a lot of spit?”\n\nBucky nodded, pushing his wet mouth against Steve’s again.\n\nSteve palmed at Bucky’s cock, circling his hand over the tip and using his fingers to pull at the length, twisting them around.\n\n“Ah, sweet baby fucking Jesus you’re beautiful, Stevie,” Bucky gasped. “Turn around, spread your legs.” \n\nSteve did as Bucky asked. They moved with a sense of urgency, both knowing that at any moment someone could come out and find them or that girl could come back… \nSteve felt Bucky smack between his thighs. “Ow!”\n\n“Spread ‘em!”\n\nSteve leaned over the car, spreading his legs wider. \n\nBucky wasted no time in slipping his tongue between Steve’s cheeks. He lapped at Steve’s hole, sucking loudly against it as his hand lazily went up to play with Steve’s balls.\n“Oh, yes, baby,” Steve breathed out, pressing his face into the hood of the car. “Just like that.”\n\nBucky swirled his tongue around the rim, poking it in softly but taking it right back out. \n\nSteve’s muscles were twitching with anticipation. His cock was hard and pressed up against the cool metal of the car. He rocked his hips, feeling the tip drag against it. “Ah…ah…fuck…”\nBucky slipped his tongue inside, rolling it against the Steve’s muscles, slicking them up with saliva. He pushed Steve’s ass cheeks further apart, getting his face further up to move his tongue more.\n\nSteve threw his head back, moaning loudly as he rocked back on Bucky’s face. \n\nBucky’s nose was against his tailbone but his chin glazed against his perineum. The stubble felt delightful against Steve, making him shiver and shake. \n\n“Bucky more, more baby. Oh God more, more,” Steve panted, rolling his face against the car hood. \n\nBucky grabbed at Steve’s cheeks, pushing his face firmer against Steve’s ass. He flattened his tongue inside, lulling it forcefully against Steve’s insides. He hooked his tongue, pulling it out with a tiny pop before plunging back in. \n\nSteve could feel how wet Bucky was making him. His ass cheeks felt cold as saliva cooled against them but Bucky’s mouth was hot and his breathing moist and ragged. He continued to rock back into Bucky, moaning and whimpering when Bucky’s tongue would swirl around the rim again. “Cock,” Steve gasped. “Gimme your cock, gimme it, oh God, please gimme it.”\n\nBucky stood up, smacking Steve’s ass sharply. \n\nSteve tensed from the sting, looking over his shoulder as Bucky pulled himself out of his briefs. He licked his lips, watching Bucky spit onto his hand and work the saliva over his length. “Wait.”\n\nBucky cocked a brow, watching as Steve dropped to his knees and took Bucky into his mouth. “Oh fuck, Steve!” \n\nSteve sucked quickly, twirling his tongue around Bucky’s thick cock. He braced himself against Bucky’s hips, pumping his head back and forth, looking up to see Bucky’s head dropping back as he groaned in pleasure. He dropped Bucky, letting his dick smack wetly against his thigh. “Fuck me with it now.”\n\nBucky laughed, but he let Steve turn back around and arch his back, revealing that pink warm hole. He lined up, pushing his cockhead in. \n\nSteve’s muscles clenched around the intrusion and he hissed out in discomfort. \n\n“You okay?” Bucky asked, wrapping his arms around Steve’s chest to finger at his nipples. “Wanna stop?”\n\n“Oh fuck you, I can take it,” Steve growled as he pushed back against Bucky’s cock. “Fill me up, make me yours.”\n\n“You’re already mine,” Bucky reminded him. He slipped further inside, rolling his hips up. “Oh fuck Stevie…so good for me, doll.”\n\nSteve arched his back, dropping his head against his back as he looked up at the stars in the sky. “Nice night,” he laughed.\n\n“Oh fuck off,” Bucky grumbled as he shoved himself entirely in Steve.\n\nSteve yelped, feeling his muscles flutter around Bucky’s girth. “God, Buck…so good…pound into me, baby. Fucking wreck me.” \n\nBucky laughed, running his hand down Steve’s spine. “I love when you get all impatient.” \n\n“Fuck. Me,” Steve growled again. \n\nBucky wasted no time. He snapped his hips back and forth, pushing his cock further into Steve with each thrust. \n\nSteve bounced off the car, rocking his ass into Bucky, reveling in the way they shook the car back and forth. He grabbed at the hood, dropping his head against it. “Mmmm, fuck…more…more baby,” he moaned. \n\nBucky thrusted harder, back and forth into Steve, snapping his hips up to push his tip against Steve’s prostate.\n\nSteve saw flashes of white with each urgent snap of Bucky’s hips. “Ah…ah…ah…ah!” he gasped with each push against his prostate. “Bucky…fuck…fuck…fuck…”\n\nBucky grunted, animalistic and low in his throat. He rocked into Steve, pushing the car back and forth, sweat chilling against his skin. \n\nSteve needed this. Everything had been so tense, from the move to the girl… Things were happening that he didn’t really understand and this just felt right. Bucky’s body so warm against him–in him. He shoved his ass back against Bucky, crying out as heat rose in his stomach, starting at the pit and rising to his sternum. He shook from the nip in the air, the ferocity of Bucky’s thrusts and the excitement of knowing at any moment they could be caught. \n\n“Oh…B-Bucky…I’m coming, Bucky…fuck…fuck I love you and that fucking…ah…ah!” Steve moved to wrap his fingers around his dick, stroking himself as fast as he could, thumb moving in fast circles up and down his shaft as his orgasm pushed out from his balls and onto the car. He laughed, breathless and in so much euphoria as his muscles melted beneath Bucky’s urgent thrusts. \n\nHis muscles clenched around Bucky, locking him inside, pulling him deeper as his orgasm rippled through his body, making his knees turn to jelly and his spine curve. \n\nBucky moved to grab the back of Steve’s neck, pumping faster into Steve. “Oh fuck, doll…fuck…fuck…me too!”\n\nSteve felt Bucky’s seed enter him, hot and wet. He rocked back on Bucky, making sure to let his muscles squeeze and relax as quickly as he could make them, giving Bucky the pleasure his perfect body deserved.\n\nThey fell to the dirt driveway, raggedly breathing. Turning to each other, they both started giggling. “Oh my God, we just did that!” Steve laughed as he dropped his head into Bucky’s chest. “We’re fucking teenagers again.”\n\nBucky chest rumbled with his laughter. He ran his fingers through Steve’s hair, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Quick n’ dirty. Just like old times.”\n\nSteve sniffed, shifting closer to Bucky’s body for warmth. “Where’re my pants?” \n\nBucky looked around, his eyes suddenly confused. “Uh…I dropped them right there?”\n\nSteve looked to where he was pointing. “I don’t see them, Buck. Seriously, where’re my pants.”\n\n“I put them right there!” Bucky protested. \n\n“Well go find them! I can’t go back inside like this!”\n\nHuffing, Bucky stood up, tucking himself back into his pants. He looked around the car and peeked his head under it. “I don’t see them, Steve.”\n\n“Well they couldn’t have just…” Steve’s eyes rounded as his brain stumbled upon the only logical conclusion. “That girl.”\n\nBucky’s mouth dropped open, his chest still rising and falling as he caught his breath. “Fuckin’ seriously? We’re were… Oh my God.” He scrubbed his hands over his face, groaning. \n\nSteve stood up, covering his flaccid cock, wincing as Bucky’s seed seeped from his ass. “I need to get into the bathroom.” \n\n“I can’t believe this!” Bucky continued. “How’d she get that close and we didn’t even see her?”\n\n“I don’t know, baby!” Steve snapped back. “But I need to go back in.”\n\nBucky’s eyes softened as he nodded slowly. “Yeah. Yeah okay.”\n\nAs they were walking, they heard someone running at them, getting closer.\n\nSteve moved to get behind Bucky in a desperate attempt to cover his naked lower half. \n\n“What the fuck?” Bucky gasped his gaze frantically looking about the yard. “You heard that right?”\n\n“Yeah,” Steve whispered. “Let’s just get the fuck inside.” Steve wasn’t one to be scared, but having his ass hanging out made him feel moderately vulnerable. Too much was happening tonight. Too much he couldn’t figure out and right now, all he wanted to do was share a beer with his friends and then go to sleep with Bucky. Maybe even fuck him later. \nTogether they turned to [[go back inside]].\n

Steve slipped his lips over Bucky’s, not caring that Clint and Tony were waiting behind him to go back upstairs. “I’m gonna check on Bruce,” Steve whispered against Bucky’s lips. “You go smoke.”\n\nBucky ran his tongue over his lips, his eyes glazing over with lust. “Yeah, okay. When’s Nat supposed to be back?”\n\n“Shortly,” Clint responded. “She texted me a minute ago about the storm that’s coming.”\n\n“Oh shit,” Bucky said as he started running up the stairs. “Don’t wanna smoke in the rain! Be back soon, bitches!” He bolted for the back door in the kitchen. \n\n“You have the weirdest husband,” Tony commented as they continued climbing the stairs. \n\nSteve inhaled deeply through his nose. “Yeah…but he’s mine.” He felt a proud, warmth blossom in his chest as he looked through the window to see Bucky lighting up on the back porch, the pond in the background. Steve didn’t like that pond really to begin with… Now he just found it deeply unsettling. He knew they’d gotten the kid’s body out of it…but still… Someone’s life had ended in that pond. Steve was certainly never taking his kids swimming in it. \n\nHe walked around the couch, looking down at Bruce as the man shivered where he lay. “How ya feeling, Bruce?” Steve asked gently. \n\n“Lemme try…” Tony said as he came to sit in front of Bruce. He laced his fingers into Bruce’s. “Jesus, he’s freezing.” \n\nSteve crossed his arms, watching with a knit brow as Tony whispered softly to Bruce. “What happened, buddy?” Tony asked. “Ya gotta tell me…” \n\n“A…” Bruce chattered out but he clenched his jaw shut. “There was…” \n\nThe front door opened, making Steve practically jump out of his skin. He saw Natasha come in. She flashed a bright smile his way as she carried a case of beer and a bottle of wine but her face instantly fell when she saw Bruce. “What happened?!” \n\n“He went into the basement,” Steve answered as he looked back down at Bruce. “We’re trying to figure out what happened.”\n\nNatasha set the beer and wine down and walked over to Bruce. She put her hand over his forehead. “He’s ice! We need more blankets for him!”\n\n“Hey Steve…” Bucky said from the kitchen archway. He swallowed heavily and his brow was heavy against his eyes. \n\nSteve winced, looking over at Bucky as his body began to tingle with early panic. Something wasn’t right. \n\n“Clint,” Steve said, not taking his eyes off Bucky. “Can you get more blankets from upstairs?”\n\n“There’s no lights up there,” Clint responded. \n\n“I’ll come with you,” Natasha said as she stood up. She rolled her lips in. “He doesn’t look good…”\n\n“Thanks, Nat,” Steve whispered as he crossed the room to Bucky. \n\nBucky walked into the kitchen, running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. He leaned against the sink, sighing loudly. \n\n“Bucky…” Steve pressed. “What’s wrong, baby?”\n\n“Something’s wrong,” Bucky said tightly. “Steve…” He turned around and pressed his body into Steve’s, wrapping his fingers against Steve’s skull. He smelled of fresh cigarette smoke. “I don’t wanna believe it.” \n\n“Believe what, Buck?” Steve asked gently. He wrapped his arms around Bucky, trying to push down the desire to run from this house and never look back. \n\n“I heard someone…outside,” Bucky whispered, his voice quivering. “I heard her laughing…” \n\nSteve pulled back, but he kept his hands on Bucky’s shoulders. “Who was it?”\n\nBucky looked up. Steve gasped at the fear that laced so heavily into the irises of Bucky’s eyes. “Steve…I wanna leave… We should go.” \n\nAs nervous as Steve was, perhaps this wasn’t as life or death as Bucky was making it out to be. He set his jaw, steeling himself to his husband’s pained words. “Bucky,” he began evenly. “It’s an old house. Something bad happened here but it’s okay. It’s over and we’re alive.”\n\nBucky shook his head. “Steve please, I swear I heard her laughing.” \n\n“We’ve got neighbors, Bucky!” Steve protested. \n\nBucky pointed to the doll; the one with the red around its neck. Steve hadn’t noticed it before, but it was sitting on the kitchen table, faceless and blank. “She was outside, Steve… We threw her in that garbage can!” Bucky pointed to the black bin. “She was outside and she was laughing!”\n \nSteve felt a hollow shiver coil around his spine. His toes suddenly became very cold and it was like the eyes of the world were watching him. “Someone must’ve moved it,” Steve stated rationally. “Tony or Clint. They pull that kinda shit.” \n\n“Steve!” Bucky whined. “Why don’t you believe me?”\n\nSteve didn’t want to believe Bucky. There had to be a reason. This wasn’t real. Ghosts didn’t exist. They were afraid because they’d found out about the house and the murders and they were now just afraid. Their minds were playing tricks. That’s all it had to be. \n\nSteve just needed to find a way to tell that to Bucky. “Bucky…there’re no such thing as ghosts.”\n\n“Steve!” Tony yelled from the other room. \n \nBucky stood there, trembling and pale. It was all too much. The room was suddenly spinning as Steve’s heart raced in his chest. Bucky needed him. Bruce needed him. Everything was happening too quickly and Steve didn’t know what to do! \n[[Help Tony]] or [[Stay with Bucky]]

Steve laughed, kissing Bucky hard on the mouth before cupping his lover's face in his palms. "I love you, but we really should go back inside and look for that girl."\n\nBucky whined, but he stepped away, turning to head back to the house. \n\nAs Steve was walking, something knocked into his legs. He lost his balance and tumbled into the ground, landing against the soggy earth, smearing mud on his pants. "Oh come on!" he grumbled, smacking his hands down against the dirt. "Christ."\n\n"Hey," Bucky cooed. "Easy there, doll." He reached a hand out to Steve, helping him up. "What happened?"\n\n"Something...knocked into me," Steve said, looking around the dark yard. "I swear it was like someone pushed me."\n\nBucky stared at him for a long moment, his eyes illuminated only by the moon in the sky. "We should [[go back inside]].\n\n"Yeah," Steve agreed. "I need to clean up."

Steve pressed a soft kiss to Bucky’s lips. Bruce would need a few minutes to warm up anyway. “I’ll come outside with you, baby.” Everyone made their way up the creaking steps. Tony and Clint went to check on Bruce and Steve and Bucky went outside on the back porch. \n\n“Man…” Bucky sighed as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He took a long drag. “Jaw bones in our basement and creepy fucking toys…"\n\n“Yeah,” Steve huffed, flicking his brows up quickly. “And murder sprees…”\n\n“What?” Bucky asked; his face falling into a pronounced grimace. \n\n“O-oh just… Me n’ Clint looked at what happened here.” Steve looked out at the pond. Knowing a child drowned in that pond set a pile of ice against his spine. He felt guilty just looking at it. The water was almost as black as the storm clouds quickly rolling in. “Guy killed his kids.”\n\nBucky bit his bottom lip, nodding softly. “Well, that’s shitty…”\n\n“Really? That’s all you have to say?” Steve asked, brow furrowing. \n\nBucky shrugged. “What else is there, Steve? They’re dead. Dead don’t care about the living.” \n\nSteve swallowed thickly but he didn’t press the conversation. Bucky had a lot of experience with the dead. “So…pizza?” \n\nBucky laughed. He put out his cigarette on the soul of his shoe. “Yeah, let’s round up the hounds and see what everyone wants. Play some video games, get tired, go have sex…it’ll be a great night.” He pulled Steve by the waistband of his jeans toward the door.\n\nSteve growled appreciatively. “Can we just skip to the sex part?” \n\nBucky ran his tongue along Steve’s bottom lip slowly. “Mmmm, I wish.” \n\nEveryone was already piled around the TV in the living room. Banner was shivering violently. Natasha was sitting above him on the couch arm. She was running her hands up and down his shoulders, most likely to try to warm him. “What happened?” she asked.\n\n“He was in the basement.” Bucky shrugged. “Has he said anything?”\n\n“Each time he tries his teeth chatter too much,” Tony said as he sat on the floor under Banner. He had his fingers laced into Bruce’s and his whole face was so tight with worry, Steve thought he may just crack. \n\n“I’ll go get more blankets,” Bucky said, walking toward the foyer. \n\nSteve came around the couch, leaning over Natasha’s shoulder and looking down at Bruce. “Hey, man,” he said softly. “Wanna try telling us what happened again?” \n\nBruce’s eyes widened. Steve’s lips parted slowly as his own eyes started to round with the horror he saw in Bruce’s eyes. Something happened. Something that Bruce couldn’t tell them and the only clue’s he could offer were the lines of horror and panic that ran through his dark eyes like electrical currents. \n\nSteve backed up, feeling his heart start to pound in his chest. He couldn't look into Bruce's eyes any longer. It was like Bruce wasn't just staring at him, but trying to WARN him. “I was gonna…order a pizza…”\n\nNatasha continued to caress her hands down Bruce’s neck and shoulders. “He’s ice, Steve. We need to get him to a hospital.”\n\n“NO! NO!” Bruce shouted as he convulsed. “Stay in the house...stay in the house…stay….in the house…” he whispered. \n\n“What happened, Bruce?” Natasha asked firmly. \n\nBucky walked in with more blankets. “Forgot all the lights in the halls don’t work. Swear I saw someone up there.” He laughed like it was a joke. But it wasn’t a joke to Steve. Creepy dolls. Jaw bones. Bruce. Someone upstairs? Something was happening… whether anyone else wanted to believe it or not, something was happening. \n\n“She…” Bruce chattered out. “Sh-sh-sh-she told m-m-m-m-e…” Bruce gasped back air. \n\n“Oh God…Bruce…” Natasha breathed out. “Bruce! Bruce, look at me!” She moved next to Tony, kneeling beside Bruce as the man started gasping and choking for breath. \n\n“Bruce!” Tony dove atop the man, careful not to block his air supply. “Bruce c’mon, buddy don’t do this to us…” \n\nClint stood in the corner of the room. “Hey guys…” he said as he peered out the window. “Someone’s outside…” \n\nNatasha looked over her shoulder, growling as she breathed heavily. “Now’s not the time to be fucking around, Clint!”\n \n“I’m not fucking around! There’s a girl outside!”\n\n“Bruce said a girl told him something,” Bucky stated. “I’m going out there."\n\n“Hey!” Steve shouted as he tried to grab at Bucky’s wrist but Bucky was already halfway into the kitchen. Steve wanted to stay here…but he couldn’t let [[Bucky go out alone]].\n

“Yeah.” Steve nodded, biting his lower lip. “Yeah I’ll get ‘im.”\n\nThe smile on Bucky’s face made the decision all the more worth it. Steve didn’t know what was happening. His friend was dead, his lover had a gash on his head, and Tony was going off the rails, but at least Bucky still smiled. In the night’s suffocating shadows, Bucky’s smile was the light that ripped light from the darkness. \nSteve kissed Bucky, a soft chaste reminder that they were still together. It was more for Steve’s benefit than Bucky’s. He needed that reassurance, even if they’d just…been outside. He looked over at the door, guilt eating him like maggots in ripe apples. He grimaced, finally turning away. \n\n“Clint? Wanna go up with me?”\n\nClint sighed, scratching the back of his head. \n\n“I’ll go,” Natasha said. She stood up, nodding. “Clint’s hearing aid’s been acting funny. He should stay with Bucky.” \n\nBucky nodded, moving closer to Clint. He gave the fireplace a wide berth though. Steve followed his movements with curious eyes. “Sure thing.” \n\nNatasha and Clint went up the stairs, gripping their bats. Steve didn’t know if salt would do a damn thing, but he still kept it safe in his pocket. \n\n“I found what fell.” Natasha pointed at a chandelier in the hallway. “Maybe it snapped.”\n\n“Where’s Tony though?” Steve stepped over the glass, peeking into his bedroom. The bed was soaking wet and drops of blood stained the carpet. “Jesus, Buck.”\n\n“He really smashed his head.” Natasha turned the light on. “Wow, that mattress is gonna stink.” \n\nSteve stared at it. “Do you think Bucky did this on purpose?” \n\nNatasha sighed, putting the bat down. “I dunno, Steve. That gash was pretty big.”\n\nSteve nodded, pressing his tongue to the back of his teeth. He could [[trust Bucky]] or he could [[investigate the shower]] to find any clues on what happened. \n

Steve waited for the sirens to get closer. He couldn’t leave Bucky. The thought of leaving his corpse made Steve sick to his stomach. That girl was still watching, smiling like the devil she was. Bucky trusted her… \n\n“How’d he die?” Steve asked. He hung his head, sobbing.\n\n“He picked my father over you.” She walked closer, cocking her head. “Called you the imposter.” \n\n“I remember.” \n\n“My father possessed your body to give me a little treat. Every year on my birthday, he murders someone for me. I wanted to see Bucky die.” \n\n“Every year?”\n\n“For thousands of years. We travel wherever we want, taking up in homes with families, newlyweds, children, it doesn’t matter. As long as someone loves someone else.” \n\n“Why?” Steve couldn’t feel anymore. He stared at Bucky’s lifeless body, caressing bloodied fingers over his husband’s forehead. \n\n“Doesn’t it feel wonderful? You murdered what you loved the most.” \n\nThe sirens were screaming outside now. Steve could hear the doors opening and slamming shut. \n\n“No,” he said. “This is the worst moment of my life.” \n\nThe girl smiled, backing into the shadows. “You’re brave—staying for them to find. The mother was like this too.” \n\n“What?” Steve asked, furrowing his brow.\n\n“She killed them all and got away with it. That dead cop's still here too.” She faded into the shadows, darkening the room. "Take your pick."\n\nSteve dropped his head, pressing it to Bucky’s. “I love you, Bucky. I love you.” He closed Bucky's eyes, crying once more. \n\nThe cops came and took Steve away in a squad car. His silence was taken for guilt and they pinned the brutal murder of Brock Rumlow and Bucky Barnes on him. Steve never spoke to any of his friends again, despite them trying to reach out to him. Every now and then, people hear of Natasha trying to appeal Steve's life sentence.\n\nFor the rest of his life, Steve would warn others never to fall in love—lest THEY come for you… \n\nEND (This is a bad ending! Looks like you made some bad choices! You can go back and try different routes to experience new storylines and decisions! Hopefully something good happens for you next time!!)\n

Bucky bolted, chasing the dark shadow. It was up on the balcony, like a fucking Sunday stroll. Bucky growled, ignoring Tony’s protests behind him. He chased the fucker upstairs. “Where are you?!” It was dark. The only light was muted from the window at the end of the hall, but it was suffocating, flickering like a dying candle. \n\nHe banged on all the doors, opening them and screaming, “Where the fuck are you, jackass! You can’t have them! I’ll fuckin’ destroy you!” \n\nSomething grabbed him by the back of the head, slamming his face into the wall. The rooms moaned, like the house was twisting to watch. He grabbed his nose, pulling back to see a black shimmer of blood. Gasping, he stumbled back. “That all you got?! HUH? THAT ALL YOU GOT?!” \n\nThe figure was at the end of the hall, cocking its head.\n \n“Come and kill me you jackass.” Bucky charged. He knew full well he was powerless. A ghost against a living person? The ghost could touch him, but he couldn’t touch it. Anger, anguish and the crushing realization that life meant absolutely nothing flooded into him, overloading his mind and body. \n\nHe lifted his hand to swing when someone pulled him back, large hands, broad chest. The person pulled him into the bedroom, screaming to get away. \n\nBucky twisted, shouting, “Get off me! Fucker killed Nat! He FUCKING KILLED NAT!” \n\n“Bucky! BUCKY!” Steve yelled. “Look at me, baby!”\n\nBucky suddenly realized he couldn’t. The room was spinning too much. “St-Steve?” \n\n“Yeah,” Steve said, his voice calmer. “Baby it was gonna kill you.” \n\n“How do you know? When did you? Get?” Bucky shook his head. He needed to lie down. \n\n“I hung up the phone when you ran. You know Sam’s a fucking mess too right? We’re all a fucking mess!” \n\n“That thing is out there, Steve,” Bucky growled low in his throat. “It’s out there and it’s killing our friends. We can’t just sit here!” \n\n“No,” Steve said. “We can’t, but we can’t just fly at it with nothing but fists!” \n\n“Then what the fuck do we do?!” Bucky didn’t mean to snap. His best friend was dead, there was a ghost running around the house picking them off like ants under a boot. “I can’t fucking do this, Steve.”\n\n“I know,” Steve said, softer. He sat on the bed, sighing. “Salt? Crucifixes? I dunno. We gotta do something.” \n\n“Does that shit even work?” \n\nSteve shrugged. “We could try? I’d rather,” Steve coughed, “I’d rather go down fighting than hiding.” \n\nBucky nodded. “Me too.” \n\nSteve sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I love you, you know?”\n\nBucky nodded. “Yeah. I love you too.” \n\n“I left Bruce and Tony downstairs.” Steve winced. “It got—the house started screaming and they didn’t keep running with me.” \n\n“The house was screaming?”\n\nFootsteps. Long, even, loud—footsteps. Bucky inhaled a shaky breath. “He’s coming.” \n\nSteve nodded. “What do we do?”\n\nBucky wiped a tear. “I don’t know, Steve.”\n\n“Do you trust me?” Steve smiled, offering a hand.\n\n“What?” Bucky blinked. \n\nShe said not to trust him. But Steve? Steve was Bucky’s husband. He trusted him on everything. Did she mean Steve? Bucky’s beautiful, earnest, kind Steve?\n“I’ve got a plan, but it’s gonna be scary.” \n\nBucky sucked in a deep breath. Did he trust him? [[Yes]] or [[no]]?\n

Steve did his best to settle his mind. He was starting to get too worked up over nothing. This was a new and unfamiliar house to him. He’d only been here in the daylight before and just to paint. The rain was staring to come down heavily outside now. Of course he was working himself up over nothing. Everything was new and he’d experienced a few unsettling moments. It was nothing to worry about. There had to be some logical reason for everything… \n\nSteve walked into living room, seeing his friends gathered around the TV. Bucky was on the couch, but he spread his legs so Steve could fit into them on the floor. Steve sat before him, his eyes turning to slits as Bucky stroked his fingers at the base of Steve’s head. Everything was fine. This was just a new house. Everything was fine. \n\nSteve grabbed one of Natasha’s beers and popped the tab. She whined at him and furrowed her brow, but said nothing.\n \nSteve took a few sips, nursing the alcohol down and feeling Bucky’s soft ministrations against the back of his skull. They were going to have a beautiful life in this house. They were going to raise a family, get a dog, build a tree house and play football. They were going to live a life here. \n\nA loud crack of thunder rolled above in the skies, causing the windows of the house to shake. Something fell in the parlor. It was a loud thud. Bucky jumped. Steve reached up, grabbing his hand. “I’m sure the thunder just knocked something over,” he said softly. \n\nBucky’s eyes were swimming in anxiety as he nodded tightly to Steve. “Go check?” he asked softly. \n\n“I’ll go with him,” Thor said; standing up from the plush, oversized chair in the room. \n\nTogether, Steve and Thor trailed into the parlor. They saw one of the portraits of Steve and Bucky’s undergrad graduation had fallen from the wall. “What the hell’s that?” Thor asked, pointing to the window. \n\nThere were muddy handprints going up the window, as if someone had been trying to get out. Steve walked over to the window, pulling at it and pursing his lips when he felt it was locked. “That’s…weird.”\n\nThor joined his side, peering out into the darkness outside. “Can’t see a bloody thing from the rain.”\n\n“It’s also dark and we’re in the middle of the forest,” Steve reasoned. “Can’t see anything anyway.”\n\n“Did your picture break?” Thor asked, furrowing his brow. \n\n“No. It’s good.” Steve hung it back on the wall, doing his best to straighten it, but it kept slouching a bit to the left. Steve figured it was because the house was old. \n\n“Steve…” Thor said softly. \n\nSteve took a step back, realizing he’d bumped into Thor’s chest. His eyes rounded as fear pumped into his veins. “Thor, please…” Steve pressed himself against the wall, turning around, but Thor trapped him with his arms.\n\n“When are we going to talk about this?” Thor asked.\n\n“I’m married, Thor!” Steve hissed. “I’m married and happily in love with Bucky!” \n\n“You never gave me a chance!” Thor protested. “Just one kiss. One kiss and if you feel nothing, I’ll leave you and Bucky alone forever.”\n\nSteve furrowed his brow. He smashed his teeth together, feeling his temples pulsate in his skull. “Thor- I love Bucky.”\n\n“Just one kiss. He doesn’t have to know.” \n\nSteve couldn’t get out of this. He knew from the second he saw Thor in the kitchen that he was going to wind up in this position. Thor was a patient, persistent bastard. Thor’s arms were above his shoulders and Steve was trapped against the wall. He could [[kiss Thor]] or he could [[start making a scene]]. \n

Steve looked up from the sink, straining his eyes out into the night as he tried to focus on anything outside but the darkness. There was the faintest glimmer from the pond, but that was it. Perhaps that’s all Bucky had seen. \n\nHe heard laughter erupt from the living room and the sounds of beer cans popping open. He smiled, feeling a bit more relaxed. Whatever Bucky saw, girl or not, it wasn’t there anymore, or perhaps he thought he saw a girl in the glistening reflection in the pond. Steve thought that maybe if you looked at it just right you could make out the shape of a girl. \n\n“What’re you doing?” Bucky asked. He snaked his arms around Steve’s middle, kissing the first vertebrae at the back of Steve’s neck. \n\n“Looking for whatever you saw,” Steve said. \n\nBucky chuckled softly. “This house has been playing with my head.”\n\n“Yeah?” Steve turned in Bucky’s arms. He brushed his nose against his husband’s. He still got chills each time he thought that word. He’d married Bucky. They were adults with degrees and jobs and money and each other… They could have a family of tiny children or a family of dogs, horses, cats, whatever. They could start a real life together. \n\n“When I was putting the plates away, the boxes kept moving around. I swear I wasn’t moving them. I thought it was Clint, but he was hardly ever paying attention and he swears up and down he didn’t do it.”\n\nSteve furrowed his brow. “What do you mean the boxes were moving?”\n\nBucky’s eyes rounded as trepidation etched into them, straining their color. “I mean I’d go to open a box, and that box wasn’t there anymore. It was on the other side of the room. Steve, I would have heard Clint messing with them. The glass would have clanked around.” \n\nSteve furrowed his brow, looking around the kitchen. “So you, Nat and Clint were in here and no one noticed moving boxes?”\n\n“Nat was in the bonus room setting up your easel and my weights when it was happening. Clint wasn’t paying attention.”\n\nSteve narrowed his eyes. “I’m pretty sure Clint was just pulling a fast one on you.” Steve pressed a kiss against Bucky’s brow between his eyes. “He’s a dick.”\n\nBucky whined. “Steve,” he drawled. “I swear it wasn’t Clint.” \n\nSteve leaned back against the sink, breaking the embrace he’d been in. “And the girl around the pond?”\n\nBucky’s gaze darted to the window as his brow furrowed in a helpless expression. “She was just standing there. She had blonde, dirty hair in her face. I think she was in a white dress, but it was all muddy.”\n\nSteve nodded, swallowing. “I think you’ve been watching too many horror films.” \n\nBucky sighed in exasperation. “Oh okay, Steve! Just dismiss my fears as petty and irrational!”\n\nSteve’s mouth parted. “Bucky! That’s not what I’m doing! I’m trying to comfort you!”\n\nBucky huffed out a humorless chuckle. “Real smart, Steve. You’re doing great. What a grade A charmer.”\n\n“Bucky…” \n\nBefore they could continue their fight, Bruce popped into the room. He smiled at them, walking over to the fridge and pulling out a few beers. “It’s your turn, Bucky,” he said.\n\nBucky gave one last look at Steve before huffing out of the room.\n\nBruce leaned against the fridge. “If looks could kill…”\n\nSteve sighed. “Yeah… He’s just paranoid about the house.”\n\n“Why?” Bruce asked. \n\nSteve scratched at the back of his neck. “Says the boxes in the room were moving around.”\n\nBruce’s mouth formed the smallest of “o’s.”\n\n“Crazy right?” Steve said; searching for confirmation that he hadn’t dismissed Bucky’s fears so easily. \n\n“Well…” Bruce took a sip of his beer. “I noticed a few strange things upstairs, but I didn’t wanna say anything.”\n\nSteve took a step forward. “Like?” he pressed.\n\n“Weird sounds. I kept hearing banging from the hallway bathroom. I just thought it was one of you guys but when I came downstairs and you were all there…” \n\nSteve’s lips parted. Had someone been in his house? Bucky had wanted to move out here for the peace and quiet. If a neighbor was getting into their home- that would just destroy all of that sentiment. “That all?” \n\nBruce shrugged. “I think. Door shut on me a few times, but I blame old houses.” He took a sip of his beer. \n\nSteve nodded slowly, taking it all in. Bucky thought he saw a girl by the pond, thought the boxes were moving and Bruce claims he heard banging from the upstairs bathroom in the hall. Great. They hadn’t even slept one night in this house yet. \n\nA loud crack of thunder shook the house. Steve jumped, feeling his heart leap into his throat for a moment. Bruce just chugged his beer. “Gonna be a long night,” Bruce said.\n \n“Tell me about it,” Steve said as they walked out of the kitchen. Steve contemplated looking out the window one more time, but opted not to. No one was there. No one could be there. \n\nThey returned to the living room. Steve sat in front of Bucky, offering a small, silent apology. Bucky sighed, rolling his eyes, but he spread his legs so Steve could sit between them on the floor. He started giving Steve a back massage. Steve rolled his head, whispering out, “Aw man, Buck; that feels good.” \n\nSteve wanted to forget about moving boxes and banging sounds and little girls. They were going to have a beautiful life in this house. They were going to raise a family, get a dog, build a tree house and play football. They were going to live a life here. \n\nA loud crack of thunder rolled above in the skies, causing the windows of the house to shake. Something fell in the parlor. It was a loud thud. Bucky jumped. Steve reached up, grabbing his hand. “I’m sure the thunder just knocked something over,” Steve said softly. \n\nBucky’s eyes were swimming in anxiety as he nodded tightly to Steve. “Go check?” he asked quietly.\n\n“I’ll go with him,” Thor said; standing up from the plush, oversized chair in the room. \n\nTogether, Steve and Thor trailed into the parlor. They saw one of the portraits of Steve and Bucky’s undergrad graduation had fallen from the wall. “What the hell’s that?” Thor asked, pointing to the window. \n\nThere were muddy handprints going up the window, as if someone had been trying to get out. Steve walked over to the window, pulling at it and pursing his lips when he felt it was locked. “That’s…weird.”\n\nThor joined his side, peering out into the darkness outside. “Can’t see a bloody thing from the rain.”\n\n“It’s also dark and we’re in the middle of the forest,” Steve reasoned. “Can’t see anything anyway.”\n\n“Did your picture break?” Thor asked, furrowing his brow. \n\n“No. It’s good.” Steve hung it back on the wall, doing his best to straighten it, but it kept slouching a bit to the left. Steve figured it was because the house was old. \n“Steve…” Thor said softly. \n\nSteve took a step back, realizing he’d bumped into Thor’s chest. His eyes rounded as fear pumped into his veins. “Thor, please…” Steve pressed himself against the wall, turning around, but Thor trapped him with his arms.\n\n“When are we going to talk about this?” Thor asked.\n\n“I’m married, Thor!” Steve hissed. “I’m married and happily in love with Bucky!” Of all times and Thor elected now to bring this up? He elected to bring this up in Bucky’s home? Knowing full well that Steve was married to Bucky?\n\n“You never gave me a chance!” Thor protested. “Just one kiss. One kiss and I’ll leave you and Bucky alone forever if you feel nothing.”\n\nSteve furrowed his brow. He smashed his teeth together, feeling his temples pulsate in his skull. “Thor- I love Bucky.”\n\n“Just one kiss. He doesn’t have to know.” \n\nSteve couldn’t get out of this. He knew from the second he saw Thor in the kitchen that he was going to wind up in this position. Thor was a patient, persistent bastard. Thor’s arms were above his shoulders and Steve was trapped against the wall. He could [[kiss Thor]] just to get it over and done with. Then he could go on with his damn life.\n

“I’m comin’ with you!” Steve shouted as he ran after Bucky. He followed behind his husband’s heels, headed out into the night. Thunder echoed off in the distance but so far no rain started. \n\n“That’s our living room,” Bucky pointed. “Clint would’ve seen someone…here.” Bucky said as he walked over to a pine tree. “Can’t see shit past the trees.”\n\nAnother thunder crack rolled above them. Steve flinched, looking up at the black sky. “Bucky,” Steve whimpered. “I’m scared.”\n\n“Awe, doll,” Bucky cooed, pulling Steve into a hug and cupping the back of his head. “Don’t be. She’s just a girl. Probably curious about us.”\n\n“But, Bruce?” Steve nibbled at his bottom lip. “We need to get him to a hospital.”\n\n“Okay,” Bucky nodded, brows pinched, “let’s just take a look in the front yard too and around the cars. We’ll go get him to the hospital after.” He pressed his hips into Steve, kissing his face softly. “K, doll?”\n\n“Okay.” Steve looked around into the night. The trees were tall and soaked up all the light, leaving nothing but blackness against the grass. Steve couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. It crawled up his skin like snakes and spiders. He had to walk backwards holding Bucky’s hand to keep sane. \n\n[[check the cars]]\n

Bucky and Steve rejoined their friends in the living room. Tony was munching on peanuts, Bruce was on the Lazyboy, shaking his leg nervously. Clint and Nat were hovering over each other, looking at Clint’s phone.\n\n“What?” Steve asked. \n\n“So we decided to be nosy and check out the previous owners.” Clint offered his phone to Bucky. Bucky scrolled through, reading. “Dad went crazy and killed his family. Mom survived and killed him. She’s in a psych ward now. She’s actually still awaiting trial.”\n\n“Great,” Bucky said, handing the phone back. “I didn’t wanna know on purpose.”\n\nClint shivered. “Dead kids man. They freak me out.”\n\n“Oh c’mon,” Tony said. “You don’t really think all the weird shit that’s been happening is because of a dead kid or two, right?”\n\nSteve shifted on his feet, folding into Bucky’s arms. Bucky squeezed him tighter. \n\n“Ghosts don’t exist. Or at least—not like a horror film wants you to believe.”\n\n“It’s inconclusive though,” Bruce began, “about ghosts. The Law of Conservation of Energy says energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It’s entirely possible there’s imprints left of someone’s life that mimic ghost-like behavior. Among other theories.” \n\n“So what? There’s a ghost family fucking with us?” Nat asked. “Why would imprints do that?”\n\nBruce licked his lips. “It’s possible the imprint theory is wrong. None of the theories are really proven or not. That’s why it’s all theory.”\n\n“This is stupid,” Tony said, flailing his arms. “I’m gonna drink a beer, hang out with my friends until we all pass out. We’re all on edge because the house is old and the china bowl thing.”\n\n“Is it possible the ghost—or whatever—could it pick up my Grandma’s china and break it?” Bucky asked Bruce.\n\nBruce bit his lip, torn whether to answer or not. Steve could see it in his dark eyes. Bruce was a man full of anger who tried everything to be a man of peace. He didn’t like upsetting others. He adjusted his glasses, an obvious gesture to buy him some more time. “I don’t know. Maybe. There’s too many theories about ghosts to know for sure.”\n\n“And it’s possible it wasn’t even a ghost,” Natasha said. “We had the doors open all day.”\n\n“Fair point,” Tony said. \n\n“Uh,” Clint said, looking out the window. “So not a ghost—but there’s a girl standing outside.”\n\nBucky bolted from the room, shouting, “I’m goin’ outside!”\n\n“Hey, wait!” Steve called after. “I’m coming with you!”\n\n[[chase Bucky outside]]\n

Steve whined, his body protesting. He wanted to pick Bucky up and run with him. He wanted to send Bucky off in a proper funeral with a beautiful casket and tears from his loved ones. He wouldn't have that chance if he stayed here now. \n\nHe kissed Bucky's dead lips, crying. \n\n"Hurry, hurry," the ghostly girl taunted.\n\nSteve ran down the hallway. He had to get out. He had to find Bruce or Tony--someone and get everyone to know that he didn't kill Bucky! He didn't kill Bucky! He would NEVER kill Bucky. \n\nSteve reached the balcony when someone grabbed him by the back of the neck. He was flung into the air.\n\nHe had no time to think as his head came cracking down on the hardwood below. His neck twisted, snapping. \n\nHe died with wide eyes, staring up at a spot just a bit too dark to be natural... \n\nWhen the cops came in, they found his body first. After a sweep of the house, they found Bucky and Officer Brock Rumlow.\n\nSteve's death was ruled a suicide. The papers said he'd killed Officer Rumlow and Bucky. \n\nThe only people who knew the truth though? Bruce and Tony? Nat and Clint? Sam? They never spoke about it to anyone. They recoiled away from the world, hiding with sage and salts. \n\nNever again...\n\n...Never. Again.\n\nEND (Oh no! You found a bad ending! Feel free to replay the game and go down different paths for new stories! Or, press the back button and find out where you went wrong by exploring the other option trees! Hope you find a better option!)

If You Hear a Knock Don't Answer

Bucky left the door cracked just a tad. He didn't want Pietro getting out and making the house stink of wet cat.\n\nHe leaned into the roomy shower stall and flipped on the water. He slipped out of his wet clothing, tossing it to the floor and laughing softly when Pietro growled at the discarded clothes. “You’re such a diva, Pietro,” he teased. \n\nTesting the water with his hand, he slipped into the shower. The stream cascaded down his body, eliciting small shivers of pleasure as warmth seeped back into his bones. He leaned his head back into the stream, letting the water massage over his head. \n\nThe door closed. Bucky looked through the frosted glass at a figure standing outside the door. He cracked a cocky smile. “Wanna join me, doll?”\nThe candle went out. \n\nBucky rolled his eyes. “Seriously, Steve. I can’t see shit.” The room was blanketed in darkness. The only light that could trickle in was from a tiny window high up in the ceiling, but the storm choked the light before it even had a chance to spill into the room. \n\nThe shower door opened. \n\n“Okay, fine. If I slip, it’s your fault,” Bucky grumbled in jest. He fumbled around for the soap. \n\nSteve moved behind him, running his fingers up and down his shoulders. \n\n“S-Steve!” Bucky hissed out. “Baby, you’re freezing.” He stepped forward so Steve could stand directly under the shower’s stream. Bucky leaned back, shivering from how cold Steve felt. “I thought I was the one who needed to warm up.” \n\nBucky scrubbed at his arms, lathering himself up in soap. “Get my back, please?” he asked.\n\nSteve took the soap and scrubbed at Bucky’s back. \n\nBucky looked over his shoulder, but he couldn’t see literally anything. He wouldn’t know Steve was even moving if he couldn’t feel those soft circles caressing against his skin, washing away the grime of the day. “I love you,” Bucky whispered. “Steve?” \n\nBucky turned around, wrapping his arms around the man. “You okay?” The shower wasn’t doing anything for heating up his skin. He felt like glass that’d been left in the freezer. “Baby…?”\nSteve removed Bucky’s arms from around his neck. Without speaking, he exited the shower. \n\n“Hey, wait, Steve!” Bucky tried to follow but he slipped, tumbling down against the tile. “FUCK!” Pain surged up Bucky’s ankle as he grabbed at it in an attempt to keep the pain from spreading. “God damn it.” \n\n“Bucky?” Steve called into the bathroom. \n\n“I fell. You should come back into the shower and warm up,” Bucky stated as he still cradled his ankle. \n\n“What?” Steve asked. \n\n“You’re freezing right?”\n\n“…No?” Steve drawled uncertainly. \n\nBucky’s heart stilled in his chest; his veins going cold. “You were just in the shower, Steve…”\n\nSteve lit the candle again. From the open shower door, Bucky saw Steve, dry and clothed. “I… You were just here…”\n\nSteve kneeled down next to the shower; his brow knit together as he looked down at Bucky’s bleeding ankle. “Baby, you’re hurt.” He reached out but Bucky swatted his hand away.\n“Who was in our room, Steve?” \n\n“Huh?”\n\nBucky slammed his head against the tiled wall. “Stop fucking with me! Were you or were you not just in the shower with me?”\n\n“No!” Steve exclaimed. \n\n“Then who was?”\n\n“You were alone, Buck,” Steve responded. “You closed the door and no one came in.”\n\n“I didn’t close the door, Steve…” Bucky said through clenched teeth. He felt violated. His stomach bunched up on him, twisting against his intestines as he suppressed the urge to gag. “Someone was in the shower,” he hissed out. \n\nSteve sat back, his lips parting as he looked over at the door. “I…didn’t see anyone…”\n\nBucky pulled his knees against his chest, wrapping his arms around them as water continued to spray from above. “Steve…” he uttered shakily. “Someone touched me…and they were freezing.” Bucky’s heart was climbing into his throat; he could hear his pulse beating against his eardrums. Someone had been in the shower… someone had touched him…and it wasn’t Steve. “W-who…” \n\n“Bucky,” Steve said suddenly. “Let’s get you out of the shower.” Steve stood up, offering a hand to Bucky, despite getting his shoulder and arm wet from the shower. \n\nBucky reached up, grabbing Steve’s hand. He was warm. “I swear someone was in here.”\n\n“It’s been a really, really long day, Buck,” Steve began. “Maybe you’re just exhausted. We've all been through some weird shit today.” He handed Bucky a towel.\n\n“Yeah…maybe…”\n[[Push the issue]]

“I’ll go,” Natasha said, watching as Bucky and Tony carefully walked the couch into the house. “I wanna grab some wine and I don’t trust Tony to pick it out.”\n\n“You wound me, woman!” Tony called as he and Bucky walked the couch past the open foyer with its gently curving staircase and into the living room at the back of the house. \n\nNatasha offered a small smirk before pulling her keys from her back pocket and walking over to her red Audi. \n\nSteve walked into the house, bringing in Pietro in his cat carrier. He set the carrier down, hearing the cat mewl in annoyance. "Sorry, buddy," he cooed softly. "We'll let you out soon once we close the doors."\n\nSteve took the time to admire his new home, looking at the dark hardwood floors that spilled into the rooms. Most new homes had open concept floor plans, but this house had high ceilings and large archways that separated the rooms. He loved being able to go into each room and see something a bit different. Open concepts lost so much personality. \n\nThe cat started to growl and hiss in his carrier. Steve looked down, furrowing his brow. “Woah, Pietro,” he said softly. “We’ll get you out soon, I promise!” He kneeled before the carrier, sticking his finger in. “Oh shit!” he exclaimed, bringing his finger up to his mouth to suck on the bite wound. He looked down at the cat; his eyes were frantic and his hair was furled. “What’s gotten into you?”\n\nA man with short, dirty blonde hair glided down the stairs, jumping the last few steps. “Steve, I am happy to say you and Bucky are the proud owners of a king sized bed. Please don’t break it while fucking each other senseless into it.” \n\nSteve snorted, feeling heat rise into his cheeks. “We’ll do our best, Clint. Thanks for you n’ Banner setting that up.” He looked down at his wound; it wasn’t too big a deal. He was more concerned about Pietro’s behavior. The cat was always docile. \n\nClint waved his hand dismissively. “No worries, bud. Banner’s unpacking all your clothes though. Told him to leave the "unmentionables" in their boxes.” Clint playfully punched Steve on the shoulder. “Don’t wanna give him a heart attack with all those sex toys, yeah?”\n\nSteve narrowed his eyes, but a smirk teased at his face. “You’re a shithead. I put the sex toys in the green bin marked for the bathroom though.”\n\nClint’s eyes widened. “Oh, I should probably warn him before…”\n\nSteve could let Clint [[warn him]], or he could [[convince Clint]] that it’d be a funny joke if they let Banner discover the sex toys.\n

"W-what are you?" Bucky asked, his voice trembling. \n\nAnother tap on his shoulder. He whirled around, whimpering softly into the room. "Christ, Ch-Christ!" His gaze searched desperately for whoever was playing games with him. Part of him wanted to still believe this was only a girl playing games on him. It was a new, unfamiliar house full of a dark past. He could be letting his mind play tricks on him, but the bed was certainly wet and someone was in here with him. But they weren't hurting him. That had to be something. \n\n"Bucky!" someone called from the bathroom. "I'm in here!" \n\n"Steve?" Bucky gasped. "No you're n-not... No he's not! He's downstairs!" Bucky backed up toward the door but it slammed shut. "F-f-fuck!" He panted into the silent air, his gaze still searching the room for any sign of movement. \n\n"Bucky, please!" The-Not-Steve wailed from the bathroom. "Please, baby! I fell! Please!"\n\nBucky pried himself from the wall, whimpering pathetically as he slowly walked toward the bathroom. He knew this was a trick. Maybe it was guilt or a silent plea for forgiveness for what he'd done to Bruce, but he was walking, resigning himself to whatever was happening. Alone. \n\nBucky walked into the bathroom, flicking the light switch but nothing happened. He whined in his throat as his body trembled. "St-Steve?"\n\n"I'm right here, Bucky," The-Not-Steve called. There was a dark image in the bathroom stall. "Please help me." \n\n"I'll help you," Bucky whispered. "Just please don't hurt us."\n\n"Why would I hurt you, Bucky?" The-Not-Steve asked. "I love you."\n\nBucky felt tears slip from his eyes. He took a deep, shaky breath, looking down at the black figure through the frosted glass. He was supposed to open the door... "Do you...do you need help?"\n\n"I fell," The-Not-Steve said. Bucky even heard a laugh. "Help me up."\n\nBucky opened the door, his eyes going wide when nothing was there. A cold chill ran down his spine before he had a second to back up. He felt someone push at his back, rattling his spine and slamming his head into the tiled wall in front of him. The water turned on, ice cold. \n\nBlood slid down the tile as Bucky cried out, his body already shivering from the cold water. "I wanted to help you!" Bucky screamed. "I just wanted to help you, please pl-please let me help you!"\n\nHe reached up, gingerly touching his head. Blood smeared on the pads of his fingers. He turned around, shrieking as he came face to face with the girl.\n\nShe was small, not older than twelve with long, stringy brown hair and thick black-rimmed eyes. \n\nBucky whined, pressing back into the tile, trying to get away from her. "I w-w-wanna help you."\n\n"Why do you love him?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "He's not even searching for you. You're shivering and cold, just like me. He's not even saving you."\n\n"H-he doesn't have to," Bucky growled. "I can save myself."\n\n[[kick her]] or [[try to keep talking to her]].

Bucky turned, following the soft creaking. He saw Bruce and Tony, tangled into each other and looking worse for wear. Tony’s outfit was shredded, like he’d tried to hug a tiger. Bruce had a bloody lip.\n\n“What the fuck?”\n\n“Keep your voice down,” Tony whispered, looking out a corner of the car window. “They’re in there. The—the girl attacked us.”\n\n“I don’t think that’s her. I think that’s her body.” Bucky grabbed the rosary and slunk back out the car. “We’re out here.”\n\n“Oh gross, her body.” They followed Bucky out, everyone creeping back into the treeline. \n\n“You know it knows we’re here, right?” Bruce said. “It’s a ghost. It knows all its property.” \n\n“How do you know?” Tony asked. “You a ghost expert suddenly?”\n\n“Guys,” Steve cut in. “This ain’t the time.” \n\n“Oh sure, how about when the ghost is skinning our organs out with a cheese grater!” \n\nSteve rolled his eyes.\n\n“Tony!” Bucky snipped. “Okay, rosary. Do you guys have any salt?”\n\nThey shook their heads. \n\n“Damn.” Bucky shivered. His pants were freezing cold, soaking into his skin. He was sure his ankles were swelling. “Okay, what do we know so far?”\n\n“The dad went crazy and killed everyone,” Steve said. “That’s all.”\n\n“The mom’s still alive,” Tony said. “She’s in a psych ward.” \n\n“Do you think we could? I mean—talk to her?” Bucky asked. \n\n“Bucky,” Steve said sorrowfully. “This thing’s after us and it’s after us now.” \n\n“It killed Nat,” Bruce said, wiping his eyes. “Jesus.” \n\n“So what do we do?” Bucky asked.\n\nSteve smirked, nodding. “Do you trust me?” \n\nBucky felt a cold pull in his stomach. He looked back at the house, then at Steve. He’d trusted him this far. He was alive because he did. But the girl said… choices mattered. \n“What’re ya gonna do?” Bucky asked. \n\nSteve’s smile only widened. “Do you trust me?” \n\nBucky swallowed. Did he [[trust Steve]]? Or did he [[not?]]\n

“No,” Steve said, but not unkind. “We’ll go check on him in a little bit. When we’re– When I’m not being an idiot.” Steve was letting the whole situation grip him by the spine and yank him. He was on edge, Bucky was barely holding himself together and even Clint and Natasha looked like were about to shatter into a thousand pieces. “I’ll go get him and apologize,” Steve finished, leaning over to kiss Bucky on the forehead. “Okay?”\n\nBucky squeezed Steve’s hand but he didn’t take his gaze off the fireplace. “Okay,” he answered hoarsely. “Thank you, doll.”\n\nThey sat there in complete silence, everyone looking distantly off into some corner of the room. Steve kept his head against Bucky’s. He felt if he let up even the smallest bit that he’d fall into the sky and be swallowed by the blackness of the universe. “When’re the cops gonna be here,” Steve grumbled. \n\nBucky squeezed his hand. \n\n“It’s a bad night out. The roads are all muddy,” Nat replied. “They’ll get here.”\n\n“I just wanna leave,” Bucky sighed.\n\nSteve flinched, listening to someone running upstairs. “What’s that?” \n\n“Tony?” Clint offered. \n\n“We need to check,” Banner gasped. “Oh my God what if…”\n\nThey all stood up, running for the stairs. Steve gripped his bat a bit tighter. He didn’t know if a bat would do anything against whatever was in his house but it brought him a small semblance of comfort and he’d take it. \n\n“TONY!” Steve shouted. “I can’t see shit!”\n\n“Here,” Bucky said, pressing a lighter into Steve’s palm. \n\nSteve flicked the lighter on, holding it out in front of him. He reached the master bedroom and the door slammed on his face. “Tony?” Steve called, breathing faster, feeling his fingers turn to ice. “TONY!”\n\n“TONY, OPEN THE DOOR!” Clint called. He moved to shove his body against it but the door held. “Fuck. Tony!”\n\nThey all started shouting Tony’s name. Steve grit his teeth, rearing back and throwing all of his weight into the door to knock it from the hinges. The door groaned, falling away and tumbling to the side. \n\n“Tony!” Steve called, looking around.\n\n“Where?” Bucky asked, looking around the room. He ran into the bathroom. “Shit! He’s not here!” He turned around, coming to walk out of the bathroom when the doors slammed on him. \nBucky’s voice erupted in screams as he pounded on the door.\n\n“BUCKY!” Steve yelled, leaping over the bed and slamming himself over and over into the bathroom door. The door wasn’t budging, not even groaning. “BUCKY! BUCKY HANG ON, BABY!” His whole body was on fire. He saw red. Vivid images of Bucky’s panicked face as tears ran down his cheeks. He saw blood, angry ghosts and his husband strung up and left for dead. His soul practically pulling from his body, willing the door to move and yet it wouldn’t.\n\n“STEVE! STEVE OH MY GOD, STEVE GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT!” Bucky shrieked, slamming himself on the other side of the door. “SHE’S IN HERE! SHE’S IN HERE, OH MY GOD!”\nClint, Bruce and Nat all came over, banging and kicking the door.\n\nScratching noises hissed against the door, Bucky’s screams became inaudible and broken. There was a scuffle on the other side of the door, but Steve couldn’t quite make out why. Tears were streaming down his face as he beat his shoulder blue, trying to get the door off.\n\n“Steve!” The dresser!” Natasha shouted as she started pulling drawers out of it.\n\nSteve ran over, grabbing one and throwing it as hard as he could against the door. The door finally snapped open. He reached in, grabbing the handle and pushing it open. “Bucky! Bucky, oh my God!” Steve ran over to Bucky, slumped on the floor with blood all over his face. He cupped Bucky’s cheek, seeing the scratch marks all over and around his eyes. \n\n“St-Steve,” Bucky whimpered, falling against Steve’s chest. “Steve, she wants to kill us, she’s gonna kill us! I don’t wanna die, I don’t wanna die, I don’t wanna die!”\n\nSteve wrapped himself around Bucky, sobbing into his shoulder. Nat kneeled before them, taking a washcloth and dabbing it against Bucky’s face.\n\n“Please, I don’t wanna die,” Bucky whimpered. “Please, please I don’t wanna die.” \n\n“You’re not gonna die, baby,” Steve cooed. “We’re gonna leave. The police are gonna be here and we’re gonna leave.”\n\n“Where’s Tony?” Bruce finally asked. “We need to find Tony.”\n\n“Shit,” Clint growled. “Fuck this. Fuck all of this!” He kicked the wall, over and over and over until Natasha came over and he collapsed into her arms, crying into her chest. She wrapped her arms around him, petting his hair.\n\n“We have to find Tony,” Bruce said again, more demanding this time. “WE HAVE TO FIND TONY!”\n\n“Okay!” Steve snapped. “Just…give me a FUCKING minute!” Steve was unraveling. His soul was snapping into a thousand pieces and all he wanted to do was give everything he had to his husband. Bucky was in shambles, both blood and tears streamed from his eyes as he wailed into Steve. Everyone was coming undone and Steve was doing no better than anyone else. This was real. \n\nThis was happening.\n\nTheir house was haunted and a ghost was trying to kill them.\n\n“We could go find him,” Natasha suggested. “Me n’ Clint can find Tony.”\n\n“No,” Bucky muttered. “We need to stick together.”\n\n“It doesn’t matter if we’re together or apart!” Bruce complained. “This thing wants us and it’ll do whatever it needs to do it!"\n\n“We fucking STICK TOGETHER!” Bucky shrieked. He was breathing hard, desperate, like every moment may be the one where his lungs finally exploded. “We stick the fuck together.”\n\n“Okay,” Clint sighed. “But we do need to find Tony.”\n\n“Yes, please!” Bruce groaned exasperated. \n\nSomething started to creak slowly above them in the attic, slow, tender steps. They all looked up. Steve couldn’t stop the tears that slipped from his eyes. “Something’s in the attic.”\n\n“D’you think it’s Tony?” Clint asked. “It could be.”\n\n“Clint,” Natasha stated, grabbing his hand. “They have a drop ladder. If it was Tony the ladder would be down.”\n\n“We need to find Tony. Now,” Bruce threatened, his voice laced with commanding authority. \n\nSteve helped Bucky stand. His face was still smeared with blood but at least the wounds weren’t freely bleeding anymore. “Can you do this? Just till the police get here, baby.”\n\n“I don’t wanna die,” Bucky whispered. “Steve, I don’t want you to do.”\n\n“We’re not gonna die,” Steve promised. “We’re gonna make it out of here. We’re not giving up. Okay? We’re gonna fight. Together.”\n\nBucky nodded, swallowing thickly. “Let’s find Tony.”\n\nThey lit every candle they could find along the way to the drop ladder. Bucky stayed back with Natasha but Clint, Bruce and Steve were in the front. Steve reached up, slowly opening the slip door and bringing the ladder down. \n\n“Who goes first?” Clint asked. \n\n“I will,” Bucky stated. “I’m not gonna let this thing control me.” \n\nSteve’s heart squeezed, swirling in his chest till it was dragged along the bottom of his stomach. Bucky was shaking and fear was etched so tightly against his eyes that Steve was afraid they’d shatter. “You don’t have to do this.”\n\n“I’m not gonna roll over. Not anymore,” Bucky growled. He brushed by Natasha and started to climb up the ladder, Steve right behind him. He flicked on his lighter as the group moved about the attic. \n\nIt was dusty and smelled faintly of rotting wood but what stood out the most was a chair with the form of a man on it. Steve tried to see into the blackness but without Bucky's faint glow from the lighter, he was stumbling over old newspapers and random piles of junk.\n\n“Tony?” Bucky asked. He inched closer, his breathing getting louder and louder till he let out a puff of relief. “Tony’s asleep.”\n\n“Up here?” Clint gasped. “How?”\n\n“Tony!” Bruce shouted, running over to the chair and shaking the man awake.\n\n“What! Jesus! I did not have sexual relations with that woman!” Tony blabbered as he woke up. \n\n“Tony! You scared the shit out of us!” Bruce scolded. He dropped to his knees in front of Tony, keeping his hand on the man’s knee. “Why are you in the fucking attic?!”\n\n“Oh,” Tony said, rubbing at his eyes. “Sorry. I guess I got really sleepy. Wait, I’m in an attic?”\n\n“You didn’t bring yourself up here I’m guessing?” Bucky inquired, cocking his head to the side.\n\nTony shrugged. “I don’t honestly remember why I decided to nap in the attic. I just…got sleepy. It was weird. I remember us in the parlor and now I’m here.” He winced, rubbing at his head.\n\n“You don’t remember fighting with Steve?” Natasha asked, crossing her arms over her chest.\n\nTony ruffled his hair, sighing. “Uh, no-yeah. I remember that.”\n\n“Sorry,” Steve apologized. “But you need to hear us out.”\n\n“Look at my face,” Bucky said, bringing the lighter close to it to show the scratch marks. “I don’t care what science says, there was a little girl in the bathroom with me and she tried to scratch my eyes out and then she was gone.”\n\n“Well, that’s awkward.” Tony stood up, brushing himself off. “When’re the police getting here?”\n\n“No idea,” Steve sighed. “But honestly, I’m perfectly okay with just walking away.”\n\n“Walking down the road in the dead of night after a huge storm. Sounds fantastic,” Tony lilted. \n\n[[Try to get out of the house]]\n

“I got this!” Steve said, hobbling forward. “Get to the damn pond!”\n\n“NO! STEVE YOU CAN’T” Bucky shouted. He watched in horror as Steve moved as fast as he could toward the girl. The zombie girl moved fast, like a spider. “STEVE!” \n\n“GET TO THE POND!” Steve screamed. He turned to the zombie, balling his fists up.\n\n“NO!” Bucky watched as she climbed atop Steve, biting and snarling down at him. Her fingers turned to talons and she screamed like a banshee, blood and saliva dripping onto Steve’s face. Bucky was almost there when Tony grabbed him by the waist.\n\n“WE HAVE TO DO THIS, BARNES!” He pushed Bucky backward, toward the pond. \n \n“STEVE!” Bucky screamed, eyes wet. \n\n“LET’S MOVE!” Tony said urgently.\n\nBucky turned, tears streaming from his eyes. Bruce was already in the pond, sloshing and diving under and tossing mud up. The book was abandoned on the side. \n\nBucky turned to look at Steve. He’d die… If this didn’t work, if nothing was there… Then Steve would die for nothing. \n\nBucky dove into the water, grabbing at the bottom of the dark pond’s muddy waters. He gasped, coming back up. Tony was tossing rocks at the zombie girl. She’d scream at him, batting them away. \n\n“Keep digging!” Bruce called.\n\nBucky went under again. It was almost peaceful, cool beneath the waters. He could hear Bruce moving too, but the world wasn’t so urgent under here. He wished he could just slip to the bottom and die. It wouldn’t be so bad a way to go—better than the way his husband was… \n\nHe screamed into the water, reaching out and clawing at the pit of the pond. Something sharp cut him and he tugged it out. It looked like a simple steak knife. He tossed it to the side, diving back under. When he reached out again, something slimy and fleshy was in his hand. He opened his eyes, startling when he saw the decaying body of the girl who probably died here. She looked just like the zombie girl. \n\nHe pulled the body out, groaning. Skin slipped off it, bone shining into the sky like a diamond. \n\n“Cut her heart out!” Bruce yelled, moving through the pond toward the shore. “That’s step one!” \n\nBucky grabbed the steak knife. He wouldn’t question its placement. It looked old—maybe from when the house was built. One of the workers perhaps. He stabbed into the girl, panicking when water and goo sloshed out. “There’s—uh—there’s no heart!” \n\nBruce grabbed the knife. “It’s decayed. Keep slashing.” Bruce wielded the knife like a hunter skinned a deer. He drew the blade over the girl, hacking her front to pieces. More and more water spilled from her.\n\nThe zombie girl started shrieking. Tony was throwing sticks at her now. Bucky wanted to laugh. He was too afraid to get close, but at least he was trying to help Steve. Her body caved in on itself. Steve scrambled away, his shirt torn open and bloody.\n\nBucky ran, listening to the vicious sounds of bones snapping and the girl’s last mangled screams. He fell next to Steve, pulling his husband into his lap. \n\nSteve laughed, then coughed. He furrowed his brow, gasping. “That’s not somethin’ I ever wanna do again.” \n\n“No,” Bucky said, kissing Steve’s face, over and over. “I hope you never have to. God, you were so damn brave.” \n\n"That's me," Steve said. "Brave and stupid." \n\nBucky laughed, kissing him, sucking those pretty red lips into his mouth and making sure that Steve knew who he beloged to. That they belonged to each other.\n\n“What now?” Tony asked. “He okay?”\n\n“Yeah,” Bucky said through a smile, resting his forehead on Steve's. Steve was cupping his face, stroking the curve of his jaw. “Yeah he’s okay.” They kissed again, brief and too chaste but it wasn’t over yet. \n\nBruce had the book again, sopping wet and muddy. He was paging through, his eyes scanning over it like a machine analyzed data. “Fuck I wish I read it fluently. I think we—”\n\n“You have two options,” a voice said. \n\nA dark shadow appeared. Ethereal gray bodies of several people showed up, faceless. “Add to my collection willingly, or you’ll wish you’d given your lives willingly.”\n\n“That doesn’t sound like much of a choice,” Steve said. He rolled out of Bucky’s arms to stand on his own. Jaw raised proudly, he balled his hands into fists, staring. “We’re not afraid anymore.” \n\n“Is that so?” The shadow moved closer. “You smell of fear.” \n\nSteve’s lip twitched. It was enough for Bucky to know he was downright terrified. \n\n“I need only lovers,” the shadow spoke. “I get what I want, and I leave you forever.” \n\n“That’s us,” Bucky said. “So we go peacefully and it doesn’t hurt?” \n\nThe shadow laughed. “You’re not the only lovers.” \n\nBucky looked to Bruce and Tony. They wore matching looks of guilt, hands reaching out to grab each other. \n\n“Oh,” Bucky said. “Oh my God…”\n\n“But Pepper?” Steve asked, stepping back awkwardly. \n\n“She doesn’t know…” Tony admitted. He let out a shaky breath. \n\n“Choose. [[Them]] or [[you]].”\n

Bucky grabbed Steve’s hand, trying to smile through teary eyes and trembling lips. “This ain’t their time.” \n\n“Bucky,” Bruce said. “No! We can stop this!” \n\nSteve looked at their hands, nodding slowly. “Or we can die so you all can live. No more death tonight.” \n\n“It’s okay,” Bucky said. It wasn’t okay. It was absolutely entirely way too far from okay. He was terrified. This wasn’t dying in a car crash or getting cancer. He’d be taken by a demon. Was Hell real? Would he be with Steve? He was goddamned petrified. But the choice wasn’t really a choice at all. This is just who he was. “It’s just dying. We all do it.” \nSteve squeezed his hand, stifling a sob. \n\nBucky looked to the black shadow and then out at the faceless ghosts. He assumed he’d be one of them. “Explain something please?”\n\n“What?” the shadow asked.\n\n“The people who died in this house, the girl and her family. Was this part of this too?”\n\n“Father and daughter,” the shadow said. Two silhouettes moved forward, the size of a man and the size of a child. “You destroyed her vessel. You’ll have to be the next one.” \n\n“No,” Steve said, stepping in front of Bucky. “Me. Don’t do—don’t do that to his body.” \n\n“Guys,” Tony pleaded. “We can stop this.”\n\n“Just go,” Bucky said. “It’s over.” Bruce’s eyes widened and he ran for the house. Bucky’s lips parted, watching the way he moved with so much urgency. A flicker of hope, like a dying flame clutching to life, wafted through Bucky. Perhaps Bruce was…? Still trying?\n\nNatasha shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. "This is wrong."\n\nSteve pulled Bucky into a hug, cupping the back of his head. “We’ll be together, yeah?” \n\nBucky hiccupped. “Yeah.” They kissed through tears, their bodies finally realizing this was the end. Bucky’s nerves screamed. They wanted to explode from his skin and burrow into Steve. \nWhen they pulled away, the demon had taken the shape of Steve with glowing red eyes. \n\n“Were you the one in the chair?” Bucky asked.\n\nThe demon nodded. “It’s better when lover kills lover.” \n\n“I’m not doing that,” Steve said. His voice was absolution, like a clock striking midnight. “Nothing you can do would make me kill Bucky.” \n\nThe demon smiled, a wicked, twisted imitation of Steve’s face. Bucky found it beautiful. “Possession is an easy thing…” He stepped forward, gasping. Red exploded from his chest. He grabbed it, looking up in shock. Natasha had stabbed him with a...fork?\n\nBucky almost reached out, but Steve—his Steve—pulled him away. A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air. It seared Bucky’s ears and made his muscles go taut. He buried his face in Steve’s chest and covered his head. \n\n--\n\nGrasshoppers. \n\nThat’s the first sound Bucky heard when he realized the world was quiet and he was still alive. He blinked, looking around. The ghostly images were gone, the demon was gone, a smoking pile of red glowing rock at his feet. “Oh…” \n\n“Bruce did it,” Steve said. “That sonuvabitch.” \n\nTony and Bruce came out, whooping and hollering. They ran to everyone, enveloping them in big hugs. \n\nBucky had never felt so light. Laughter escaped him like a geyser. He couldn’t stop. Tears streamed from his eyes, his limbs were jelly, but his lungs wouldn’t stop chuckling. He grabbed Steve, pulling his lover into him. They fell to the ground, rolling and kissing each other. Tongues sloshed into mouths, teeth accidently nipped lips, it was a terrible kiss—it was a perfect kiss.\n\n“I love you,” Bucky whispered. “You beautiful, beautiful idiot.” \n\n“I love you.” Steve nipped Bucky’s nose. “You self-sacrificing jerk.” \n\n“Jesus that was close,” Clint said, collapsing to the ground. \n\n“We can all thank me for knowing a single word in Sanskrit,” Tony said, dusting his shoulders off for show. “It’s on the logo for a beer I like—Khajurako. They’ve sometimes got Sanskrit on their labels.” \n\n“And the word was?” Steve asked, running his fingers through Bucky’s hair, he didn’t look away from Bucky. \n\n“Upside down.” Tony plopped on the ground, cupping his chin in his hand. “Random right?” \n\n“Except we remember the room in the basement and how the door was actually hinged upside down.” Bruce nudged Tony playfully, he was stupid proud of Tony. Bucky could see it in the way he only had eyes for Tony.\n\n“It was?” Steve asked. He playfully punched Bucky. “See! I told you we needed to go in there!” \n\nBucky rolled his eyes. \n\n“So, what happened?” Nat asked. "I thought my fork stab did it!"\n\n"Uh, no." Tony smirked. "Far too complicated. Our solution was easier."\n\n“We had to put the book upside down.” Bruce laughed. “Stupid easy, right? The demon was summoned. That’s how it was sent back.” \n\n“Who summoned it?” Clint's face screwed up. “Who’d be that stupid!”\n\n“That’d be good ol’ crazy momma—the survivor of this fucked up ghost story.” Tony shrugged. “I found a diary in the basement and started reading it while Bruce was panicking about you two dying.” \n\n“So glad you were worried,” Steve teased. He flicked Tony for added effect. \n\n“She got jealous of her daughter. Her husband was spending a lot of time with her, teaching her sports and the usual dad stuff.” Bruce bit his lip. “I thought for a moment it’d be a creepy abusive thing, but it was just a man being a good dad and she for some reason resented that.” \n\n“Wow,” Bucky said. What mother would be upset that her husband was doing a good job at raising a child? Sure, she had to split his attentions but, surely a good father was a…thing people wanted? He looked to Steve, curious how they’d adapt once they had kids.\n \n“So hotel?” Tony asked.\n\nEveryone agreed. They helped Steve into one of the cars, looked around for Pietro (they found him under the porch, perfectly fine) and then they left.\n\nBucky would never return to that house again. It didn’t matter that it was all over. It happened, and he didn’t want to relive it again. \n\nSteve and Bucky eventually relocated to Brooklyn. They didn’t mind the overpriced living. They also made sure no strange murders happened in their new brownstone. Natasha and Clint had their first child that year. Tony and Bruce went public with their relationship, after some messy endings with Pepper. Bucky didn't fault anyone involved though.\n\nEvery year they got together for the anniversary of that night. Booze, games and friendship. Stronger together than when apart. \n\nEND (Congrats! You found a good ending! You can restart for an entire new experience if you'd like! Please don’t forget to leave a comment or a kudo for the fic on archiveofourown.)\n

Bucky nodded. “You know I trust you.” \n\nSteve relaxed, smiling bigger. “Okay. We go out the window.”\n\n“What?!” Bucky jumped from the bed, standing ramrod straight.\n\n“We’ve gotta get away from him, baby!” \n\nThe footsteps were getting closer. Bucky whined, looking at the door. He knew, he knew with absolute certainty that if they stayed, that’d be the end for them. Nat and Clint chose to stay, so Bucky would fight for them. This wasn't just about Bucky's life. This was about all his friends' lives. This thing would kill them. Bucky wouldn’t stand for that. He knew Steve wouldn’t either. \n\n“Okay.” \n\nSteve moved over to the window, opening it. He slipped outside, climbing along the house. Bucky followed, clinging to the gutters as best he could. They hobbled down the slippery roofing and jumped to the ground below. “Bucky!” Steve shouted.\n\nBucky turned around with enough time to see a girl crawling out of the pond, muddy and ghostly pale. Her hair blocked her face and she moved like the bones in her body weren’t there anymore.\n\n“Oh fuck! Run! Run, Steve run!” \n\nThey did, they ran into the treeline. Bucky kept behind Steve, following that shock of blond hair. He turned around and relaxed when nothing was chasing them. \n“Steve! Holy—Steve slow—slow down!” \n\nSteve slowed to a jog, biting his lower lip. “We lose it?” \n\n“Yeah.”\n\n“We’re in the woods though,” Steve said.\n\n“Thanks Captain Obvious.” Bucky started walking. They had to find somewhere to hide or get some damn salt. “Wait!” His eyes snapped open. “Your rosary!” \n\n“It’s in the car?” Steve’s eyes also rounded, realization draining in. “Oh it’s in the car!” \n\n“We’ve just gotta get it!” \n\n“God, this is—this is fucking crazy, Bucky!”\n\n“There’s a dead girl hobbling around on all fours and there’s a ghost in our house. I think we’ve surpassed that.” Bucky grabbed Steve’s arm. “We’ve gotta do this. We can’t leave everyone.” \n\n“Do you have your phone?” Steve asked, following Bucky back toward the house. “Mine’s dead.” \n\nBucky shook his head. “I left it in the house.”\n\n“Fuck. We need to tell Sam or someone, just in case...”\n\n“We just need each other. We can do this, baby.” Bucky offered what he hoped to be a reassuring smile. "I"m not dyin' tonight."\n\nSteve didn’t seem so reassured. The shadows from the trees danced across his face like sharp nails, ready to peel back his skin. He looked older out here, not as powerful. They were both afraid. \n\nThey came back to the long driveway, keeping to the trees. Bucky peeked around one, looking. “I don’t see anything.” \n\n“Doesn’t mean it ain’t there.” \n\nBucky leaned back, biting his lip. “You think everyone is okay?”\n\n“God, I hope. Car?”\n\n“Yeah.” Bucky stayed low, creeping behind Bruce’s car and then rolling behind a bush. He looked out. The front door was wide open. That was either a good sign or a horribly bad one. He didn’t want to really think which was which. He crawled over to the car, grabbing the door. It opened silently and he snuck inside, reaching for the glove box. \nHe heard a nose in the backseat. \n\nHe could [[look back]], or [[get the rosary]].\n

Steve’s face rounded in horror as he burst up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. He wasn’t the most private man when it came to his sex life, considering Bucky blurted whatever they did to Natasha and she used it against Steve… But he didn’t think Bruce would be okay with seeing a bin of sex toys when he was expecting boxes of que-tips, towels and soap. \n\nSteve ran down the balcony, turning right into the short, dark hall that led to his bedroom at the back of the house. The house had a few design flaws, the balcony that became two separate hallways that had one window each at the backs was certainly a design flaw… Bucky thought it was interesting, so Steve would find it interesting…one day. \n\nSteve burst into his room, grabbing the doorway to catch his breath. “Banner!” he exclaimed. \n\nA man with black, wavy hair jumped as he was putting a pair of jeans into one of the matching “his and his,” mahogany dressers. “Christ! Give me a heart attack, Steve.”\n\nSteve sighed, looking at the newly set up king sized bed. He launched himself onto it, lying down and staring up at the circular window that enveloped most of the room behind the bed. He could already see himself and Bucky, lying here at night in each other’s arms, watching the stars lazily climb into the night’s sky. \n\n“You like the bed?” Bruce asked as he put more clothes away. \n\n“Oh yeah. This is going to be amazing.” Steve sat up, pointing to the bathroom. “The green bin. Don’t open it.”\n\n“Why not?” Bruce asked lackadaisically. \n\n“Bucky and I have a very…healthy sex life.”\n\nBruce’s face rounded as his mouth dropped wide. Steve watched the realization seep into his dark eyes. “Oh. Oh! Yeah…no thanks.”\n\nClint walked into the room, leaning against the doorframe. “Don’t want no sexy ideas for you, Mr. Banner,” he teased. \n\nBruce shot a deadpanned look over at Clint. “Ha. Ha. Make fun of the single guy. Ya’know, Thor’s also single. So is Sam. You don’t tease them as hard as me.”\n\n“Thor is Thor,” Steve said, furrowing his brow. Thor’s real name was actually Chris, but his last name was Thor and he looked like a Norse god, so no one ever called him by his first name. “And Sam’s playin’ the field. You’re just…” Steve gestured to Bruce wildly. “Moping around and putting some dude’s pants into a dresser.” \n\nBruce threw a pair of skinny jeans at Steve’s head. “I thought the gay ones are supposed to be nicer.”\n\nSteve laughed a loud, full laugh; throwing his head back. “Oh honey,” he began. “You’re sadly mistaken. We’re pretty sassy.”\n\nClint rolled his eyes, but he chuckled along with Steve. \n\n“Steve!" Tony yelled from the base of the stairs. "Bucky needs you to check the basement for lightbulbs! He asked me to do it first but I'm not going down there by myself!" \n\nSteve sighed. "Yeah! I'll be right down!" Steve yelled back. "Seriously? He's a grown ass man and he's afraid of the dark?" Steve rolled his eyes. Tony had always been the eccentric one of the bunch. \n\n"I'll help ya," Clint said. "Bruce, you good up here?"\n\n"Oh yeah, I'm just gonna finish setting up the bathroom then I'll be down."\n\nSteve and Clint made their way through the darkening hallway. "We should probably grab some bulbs for up here too," Steve mused. "This is the weirdest hall layout." Unlike most homes, this house sported two different hallways on the second floor, three if the balcony was counted. One side had the study and two guest rooms. The other side had the master's suite and there was an additional, large bathroom that could be accessed by either hall. \n\n"I like the balcony though. I think it really opens up the foyer," Clint responded, jogging down the stairs behind Steve. \n\nThey walked into the hallway leading to the kitchen. "I'm checking for bulbs, Buck," Steve said as he opened the basement door. It was dark as pitch down there. "Clint's coming with me."\n\n"Thanks doll," Bucky responded as he opened a box of wine glasses. "Tony's a bitch."\n\n"Excuse me! I don't want to break my neck on those stairs!" Tony protested as Bucky handed him a pair of wine glasses to put up.\n\n"You're afraid of my basement," Bucky responded. "Don't fuckin' lie, ya pansy." \n\nTony scoffed. "Okay, so dark and dreary places aren't my forte. Sue me." \n\n"We got it 'fradey-cat," Clint retorted. "You need us to find you a bwanket to sweep wid at night too?" \n\n"Barton, I'll shove this wine glass so far up your ass the shards will cut the inside of your throat," Tony said with a deadly serious gaze. \n\n"Shots fired," Steve chimed. "C'mon, Clint."\n\nThey descended the stairs, holding onto the railing as they walked slowly in the dark. It was freezing down here. The room smelled of musty old papers. Steve wondered how much stuff was left from the previous owners in here. He fumbled along the wall, raising an arm and swatting wildly when he found the chain to pull for the light.\n\nThe overhead lights buzzed on, casting a pale-white brightness into the room. With the lights on, it wasn't so scary. It just looked cluttered. The lights flickered briefly before steading. Steve thought nothing of it. \n\n"Look along there, yeah?" Steve asked Clint. \n\nClint went to one of the multi-level shelves, pulling boxes and checking inside and then going to the next one or scooting objects around.\n\nSteve did the same on the otherside.\n\n"Jesus, fuck!" Clint shouted, stumbling back. \n\nSteve turned around, furrowing his brow heavily as he moved quickly to Clint, checking him over. "What?"\n\n"Just look in there." \n\nSteve went up to the box he was pointing at and found several human jaw bones. His lips parted in disgust as he continued to stare at them. "What the fuck?" \n\n"Who the hell lived here before you?" Clint asked. \n\nSteve swallowed hard. "Realtor said it was a family. Some of them died here, but I doubt this belonged to any of them." Steve's face crumpled up. He gingerly touched one of the jaw bones.\n\n"Oh sure," Clint drawled. "Bunch of human jaw bones just walked in here on their own. Did you never research how the fucking people died?!"\n\nSteve shrugged. "I mean, they said it was an accident?"\n\n"Don't you wanna know?" Clint asked; furrowing his brow and shaking his head softly at Steve. \n\nSteve looked down at the bones, chewing his bottom lip. He [[did want]] to know, but part of him felt it was just [[better not knowing.]]

“Don’t worry, Nat, I got it. You want wine right? A pinot?” He helped Bucky bring the couch in on its side. Together, they walked under the gently curved staircase in the foyer, past the long, large dining room and back into the living room. Steve had been pretty sure the living room was added much later after the original house was built. It didn't have a fireplace like the rest of the rooms did and there was only basic molding around the archway. \n\n“Yes please!” Natasha's voice echoed off the high ceilings. “Steve, this house is so gorgeous.”\n\nSteve looked around; a proud smile plastered on his face. He admired the fresh coats of paint he and Bucky had painstakingly worked on for the past few days. Bucky loved blues and creams, so the house was splashed with varying hues of the colors. They gave a stark, contemporary feel against the character of the old Victorian. “Yeah, we did pretty good, huh?”\n\nNatasha brought the cat carrier in, setting Pietro down. He immediately started to hiss and growl. “Hey, kitty, you’ll be out soon,” Natasha said. She stuck her finger into the cage, cooing softly. “Ouch!” \n\nSteve looked down, seeing Natasha pull her finger into her as she cradled it. “Oh shit, Nat! I- I'm so sorry! He's never done that before!” Steve looked at the cut. It was bleeding, but it wasn’t too big. “Do you need a band-aid? We’ve got some upstairs I think.” He furrowed his brow anxiously; his face tightened with concern.\n\nSteve thought back on what boxes they’d already brought in. He was sure he’d brought most of the bathroom supplies into the house.\n\nNatasha sucked on her finger, scowling down at the hissing cat. “Sure why not. I’ll go grab another box. Should be most of them by now.”\n\nSteve pressed his lips together as guilt weighed against his heart. She wasn’t terribly injured, but Pietro had never acted like that before. Perhaps this move was uniquely stressful on him? \n\nSteve went up the curving staircase, passing from the open balcony hall and into one of the other halls of the house. He couldn’t get over how large this house was. Deaths inside it or not, it was worth so much more than he and Bucky had paid for; he wasn’t going to complain though, otherwise he could never have afforded it. \n\nSteve went into the master bedroom, watching as his friends Bruce and Clint finished setting up his and Bucky’s bed. “Oh wow! It looks great guys!” \n\nClint stood up, putting his hands on his hips proudly. “Yeah? Don’t you and Buck go breaking it with your kinky sex.”\n\nBruce blushed. “I-I-I’d really appreciate it if that didn’t happen as well. It took forever to figure out how to put which screws where.” \n\nSteve suppressed the urge to make a joke about screwing. “Did you unpack the First-Aid kit yet? Pietro bit Natasha’s finger.”\n\nClint’s brow furrowed. “No shit. She okay?” \n\n“Just pissed a cat bit her,” Steve responded. He still couldn’t get over how unusual that was for Pietro. He’d always been such a calm cat. \n\n“Yeah I’ll grab it,” Clint said; his brow furrowing more. He had been dating Natasha since high school. They were the first pair to get married in “The Squad” as they liked to call themselves. It was a silly nickname that their other friend, Sam Wilson, had come up with back in undergrad, but it stuck like molasses.\n\n“Oh shit! Steve Grant Rogers you sick bastard!” Clint yelled from the bathroom. \n\nBruce and Steve exchanged confused glances before Steve went into the bathroom, seeing Clint hovering over a green bin.\n\n“Can you seriously fit that dildo up your ass?” Clint asked, holding out a large, pitch-black dildo. \n\nSteve laughed, scratching at the back of his neck. “Uh…me and Buck like to experiment with stuff.” \n\n“No fucking kidding. Jesus you two must have the best sex.” Clint opened one of the drawers under the sink and pulled out the bandages. “Now with that image firmly planted in my head, I’m gonna go flirt shamelessly with my wife. Do you care if we screw in the guest room?”\n\nSteve’s brow shot up into his hairline as he sported a large ear-to-ear grin. “N-no. Please be my guest. Just take the bed sheets off in the morning.”\n\nClint saluted, walking by Steve and heading downstairs. \n\n“That’s an extremely impressive collection of sex toys…” Bruce stated as he leaned on the bathroom door. “You and Bucky must be proud.” \n\n“Shut up, Banner,” Steve teased, ruffling the man’s hair. “Wanna go back down with me and [[help Bucky]] set up the kitchen or do you wanna keep [[putting clothes in the dressers?”]] \n

Everyone ran upstairs, but not Bucky. He’d had enough of this—enough of the terror and the self-stupidity. They should’ve left at the first sign of trouble. Fuck the house, fuck the cop, just go—leave. So Bucky did. He ran. Steve went one way, and Bucky went the other. \n\nHe pulled open the backdoor, flinging himself outside and scrambled down the back porch. The ground was soggy, his feet sloshed and slipped but he ran into the trees. Laughter. “No.” \nLaughter—children’s laughter. He kept running. “LEAVE ME ALONE!” He kept running till he found the gravel road that led up to their long driveway. He stopped, turning to look at the house. \n\n“Steve.” \n\nSteve was on the porch, ethereal and glowing like the soft moonlight on a clear night. His mouth hung open, terrified. “Don’t do this to me.”\n\n“YOU’RE NOT STEVE!” Bucky couldn’t move. The ghost knew his weakness—the love he had for his husband. “JUST LEAVE US ALONE!”\n\nSteve stepped forward, flickering like static on the TV. Bucky gasped, tears mixing with the rain on his face. He moved in crisp, jerky movements. Then he fell to his knees. “B-Bucky.” \n\n“Steve…” It wasn’t real, it wasn’t real and Bucky still found himself moving forward. He inched closer, cautious. The image was gasping, each breath harder for it. It didn’t matter that this wasn’t his husband, it was suffering and that tugged at Bucky’s heart. \n\n“D-don’t leave me,” it said. “I don’t wanna die alone.” \n\nBucky swallowed. “You’re already dead. You’re not Steve.”\n\nIt looked up, smiling sinisterly. “Will you really leave him to die in that house? Alone?”\n\nBucky looked over at the house. Steve was still there. His living, breathing, loving Steve. The Steve that kissed him goodnight and good morning before he did absolutely anything else. The Steve that talked about getting a dog and coaching little league football when they had kids of their own. A man with flesh and blood and so much love to give that Bucky found himself whimpering.\n \n“Please don’t kill him.” \n\nThe figure stood up, cracking its head to the side. “Then stay.” \n\n“If I stay, he won’t die?”\n\nThunder cracked above them. Bucky looked up, gasping. His gaze snapped back to the ghostly figure, its eyes black. \n\n“If you stay, he won’t be alone.” \n\n“But you said someone was gonna kill me!” Bucky stepped back. “Who? You?”\n\nIt smiled, pure and gentle, like the kind of smile Steve gave when Bucky did something he was proud of. “It doesn’t have to end that way. You just have to make the right decisions.” \n“And what’re those? Huh? You’re not tellin’ me shit!” Bucky flailed, pointing to the house. “What’s happening right now?! With that cop?”\n\n“He made the wrong decision. As did you.” \n\nBucky bit his lip so hard he was sure he’d busted it open. “So if I stay, and I do what you want—we’ll live?”\n\nThe figure flickered, it morphed back into a little girl. It held the doll without a face and the red around its throat. “I’m not the only one in that house.” She flickered away, gone. \nBucky chocked back thick gasps for air. His lungs felt sticky inside, desperate to open up but something was squeezing them closed. He collapsed back, staring at the house through the pouring rain. Not the only one in that house…\n\nNot the only one in that house….\n\nNot the only ghost. In. That. House. \n\nIt was a warning. She wasn’t the threat. Something else was there and now when Bucky looked back, everything she’d done, it was a warning. ‘He’s going to kill you’ she warned… “Oh no.” Bucky scrambled up, sloshing through rain-soaked earth. He grabbed the front door, yanking it open and flinging inside. He bolted up the stairs, pulling on the railing and flinging himself down the halls. \n\nHe found them in the bedroom. They were all standing in a circle, staring down. Bucky stepped forward, slipping between Tony and Bruce. \n\n“He made the wrong decision,” Bucky said. Officer Rumlow was on the floor, his jaw missing and his brains yanked through his mouth. “She said he made the wrong decision.” \n\n“We have to go,” Clint said. \n\n“We can’t,” Bucky said. “We’ll die too.” \n\n“How do you know?!” Clint rushed in front of him, shoving Bucky. “You just bolted! I fuckin’ watched you!”\n\n“Hey!” Steve cut in, separating them with his body. “Enough!” \n\n“No! Fuck this! Fuck everything about this! There’s a dead cop, Bucky’s got a cracked head and I almost got drowned!” \n\n“She was warning us!” Bucky shoved Steve aside, standing right in front of Clint. “She was tryin’ to warn us and we weren’t listening!” \n\n“Who? That girl? She yanked his jaw off!” Tony pointed dramatically to the dead cop on the floor.\n\n“She said she’s not the only one here.” Bucky looked to them all, swallowing. “Steve, if we leave, we’ll die.” \n\nSteve sighed heavily, looking around. “I’m not gonna stop anyone from leaving.” His shoulders relaxed, offering a tiny, tired smile. “But I believe you.” \n\nBucky felt a giant weight lift from his shoulders. He smiled back at his unwaveringly loyal husband. They just had to make the right decisions… Make the right decisions, and they lived. But how would they know which ones were right? \n\n“I’m leaving,” Clint said, grabbing Natasha’s hand. “We’ll call you once we get to a motel.” \n\n“That’s not the right decision!” Bucky warned, watching them leave the room. “Please! Nat, please listen to me!” Bucky ran from the room, following them into the hall. “Nat!”\n\nShe turned around, her face terrified. “He’s my husband, Bucky!” \n\n“But you’re my best friend.” His eyes pleaded with hers. “Please. Don’t do this.” \n\nNatasha looked from Bucky to Clint, licking her lips. “It’s not safe here.”\n\nBucky nodded. “I know. But it’s definitely not safe out there.”\n\n“What? Away from the damn ghost?” Clint barked out a laugh. “You’re shittin’ me, Barnes.” \n\n“Barnes-Rogers.” Steve came to stand next to Bucky. “Whatever you think you gotta do, do it Clint. But you can’t make Natasha follow just because she’s your wife.” \n\nClint swallowed, brow furrowed. “Last chance Natalia. Are you [[gonna stay with them]] or [[come with]] me?”\n

Steve waited for the sirens to get closer. He couldn’t leave Bucky. The thought of leaving his corpse made Steve sick to his stomach. That girl was still watching, smiling like the devil she was. Bucky trusted her… \n\n“How’d he die?” Steve asked. He hung his head, sobbing.\n\n“He picked my father over you.” She walked closer, cocking her head. “Called you the imposter.” \n\n“I remember.” \n\n“My father possessed your body to give me a little treat. Every year on my birthday, he murders someone for me. I wanted to see Bucky die.” \n\n“Every year?”\n\n“For thousands of years. We travel wherever we want, taking up in homes with families, newlyweds, children, it doesn’t matter. As long as someone loves someone else.” \n\n“Why?” Steve couldn’t feel anymore. He stared at Bucky’s lifeless body, caressing bloodied fingers over his husband’s forehead. \n\n“Doesn’t it feel wonderful? You murdered what you loved the most.” \n\nThe sirens were screaming outside now. Steve could hear the doors opening and slamming shut. \n\n“No,” he said. “This is the worst moment of my life.” \n\nThe girl smiled, backing into the shadows. “You’re brave—staying for them to find. The mother was like this too.” \n\n“What?” Steve asked, furrowing his brow.\n\n“She killed them all and got away with it. That dead cop's still here too.” She faded into the shadows, darkening the room. "Take your pick."\n\nSteve dropped his head, pressing it to Bucky’s. “I love you, Bucky. I love you.” He closed Bucky's eyes, crying once more. \n\nThe cops came and took Steve away in a squad car. His silence was taken for guilt and they pinned the brutal murder of Brock Rumlow and Bucky Barnes on him. Natasha's death was ruled an accident. Clint killed himself a few months later... Steve never spoke to any of his friends again. \n\nFor the rest of his life, he’d warn others never to fall in love—lest THEY come for you… \n\nEND (This is a bad ending! Looks like you made some bad choices! You can go back and try different routes to experience new storylines and decisions! Hopefully something good happens for you next time!!)\n

"Buck," Steve sighed, pressing his body to his husband's. "As much as I want this, we can't. We need to be with Bruce."\n\nBucky groaned, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Sucks. Later? Tonight?"\n\nSteve smiled, nodding. "Of course. Got a brand new bed to screw ourselves senseless into."\n\nBucky purred, leaning up to nip at Steve's lower lip. "I love you."\n\n"I love you, too," Steve replied, a dopey smile on his face.\n\nBucky ran his tongue over Steve's lips, his eyes glazing over with lust. “Yeah, okay, enough sappy shit." \n\nTogether, they walked back into the house as the thunder rolled lazily above them. Bruce wasn't looking as bad as before, which was good.\n\n"Storm radar seems bad," Natasha analyzed.\n\n“Oh shit! Wanna smoke before that happens!” Bucky exclaimed as he bolted for the back door in the kitchen, snagging his smokes on the counter along the way.\n\n“You have the weirdest husband,” Tony commented as he continued layering blankets atop Bruce.\n\nSteve inhaled deeply through his nose. “Yeah…but he’s mine.” He felt a proud, warmth blossom in his chest as he looked through the window to see Bucky lighting up on the back porch, the pond in the background. Steve didn’t like that pond really to begin with… Now he just found it deeply unsettling. He knew they’d gotten the kid’s body out of it…but still… Someone’s life had ended in that pond. Steve was certainly never taking his kids swimming in it. \n\nHe walked around the couch, looking down at Bruce as the man shivered where he lay. “How ya feeling, Bruce?” Steve asked gently. \n\n“Lemme try…” Tony said as he came to sit in front of Bruce. He laced his fingers into Bruce’s. “Jesus, he’s still freezing.” \n\nSteve crossed his arms, watching with a knit brow as Tony whispered softly to Bruce. “What happened, buddy?” Tony asked. “Ya gotta tell me…” \n\n“A…” Bruce chattered out but he clenched his jaw shut. “There was…” \n\n“Hey Steve…” Bucky said from the kitchen archway. He swallowed heavily and his brow was heavy against his eyes. \n\nSteve winced, looking over at Bucky as his body began to tingle with early panic. Something wasn’t right. \n\n“Clint,” Steve said, not taking his eyes off Bucky. “Can you get more blankets from upstairs for Bruce?”\n\n“There’s no lights up there,” Clint responded. \n\n“I’ll come with you,” Natasha said as she stood up. She rolled her lips in. “Do you have a heating pad?"\n\n“Yeah, in our bathroom. Thanks, Nat,” Steve whispered as he crossed the room to Bucky. \n\nBucky walked into the kitchen, running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. He leaned against the sink, sighing loudly. \n\n“Bucky…” Steve pressed. “What’s wrong, baby?”\n\n“Something’s wrong,” Bucky said tightly. “Steve…” He turned around and pressed his body into Steve’s, wrapping his fingers against Steve’s skull. He smelled of fresh cigarette smoke. “I don’t wanna believe it. But Bruce...” \n\n“Believe what, Buck?” Steve asked gently. He wrapped his arms around Bucky, trying to push down the desire to run from this house and never look back. \n\n“That girl,” Bucky whispered, his voice quivering. “I heard her laughing…” \n\nSteve pulled back, but he kept his hands on Bucky’s shoulders. “But I thought... Didn't she leave?”\n\nBucky looked up. Steve gasped at the fear that laced so heavily into the irises of Bucky’s eyes. “Steve…I wanna leave… We should go.” \n\nAs nervous as Steve was, perhaps this wasn’t as life or death as Bucky was making it out to be. He set his jaw, steeling himself to his husband’s pained words. “Bucky,” he began evenly. “It’s an old house. Something bad happened here but it’s okay. It’s over and we’re alive.”\n\nBucky shook his head. “Steve please, I swear I heard her laughing. It wasn't...human.” \n\n“We’ve got neighbors, Bucky!” Steve protested. \n\nBucky pointed to the doll; the one with the red around its neck. Steve hadn’t noticed it before, but it was sitting on the kitchen table, faceless and blank. “She was outside, Steve… We threw her in that garbage can!” Bucky pointed to the black bin. “She was outside and she was laughing!”\n \nSteve felt a hollow shiver coil around his spine. His toes suddenly became very cold and it was like the eyes of the world were watching him. “Someone must’ve moved it,” Steve stated rationally. “Tony or Clint. They pull that kinda shit.” \n\n“Steve!” Bucky whined. “Why don’t you believe me?”\n\n"Because we were just out there, Buck!" Steve countered, scrubbing his fingers over his face. This was exhausing. Bruce was suffering, Bucky was panicked and God knows how the others felt. Steve felt like people were pulling him on all sides and he didn't know which limb he'd lose first.\n\nSteve didn’t want to believe Bucky. There had to be a reason. This wasn’t real. Ghosts didn’t exist. They were afraid because they’d found out about the house and the murders and they were now just afraid. Their minds were playing tricks. That’s all it had to be. \n\nSteve just needed to find a way to tell that to Bucky. “Bucky…there’re no such thing as ghosts.”\n\n“Steve!” Tony yelled from the other room. \n \nBucky stood there, trembling and pale. It was all too much. The room was suddenly spinning as Steve’s heart raced in his chest. Bucky needed him. Bruce needed him. Everything was happening too quickly and Steve didn’t know what to do! \n[[Help Tony]] or [[Stay with Bucky]]

Steve swallowed thickly. He walked into the kitchen, analyzing the breakfast nook and then looking at the backdoor. He opened it, listening to the rain that fell in thick, chubby drops against the world like someone was crinkling paper. Closing the door, he turned back to the group in the room, holding Bucky’s nervous gaze. “Someone must’ve taken it.” \n\n“Someone walked into OUR house and took it?” Bucky asked disbelievingly. “Christ, Steve. Our neighbors are at least five acres away!” \n\n“You said you heard a kid outside right?” Tony questioned. “Maybe the kid came in and took the doll. Kids do weird shit.”\n\n“Tell me about it,” Clint grumbled. Natasha elbowed him. “What! I’m just saying! Nicole does some of the weirdest shit for absolutely no reason!” \n\n“Yeah but,” Bucky began. He swayed where he stood, running his fingers through his shaggy hair. “I saw the doll outside. I went in and it was there again…”\n\n“Was it immediate?” Natasha asked. \n\n“What?” Tony scoffed. “Oh please, we’re not suggesting there’s supernatural shit going on, are we?”\n\nNatasha shrugged. “Covering all the bases!” \n\nBucky sighed heavily. “I don’t…I dunno. I didn’t really pay that much attention. I guess a kid could come in, put the doll down, go to the bathroom or something and leave.” \n\nSteve nodded. It was the only logical, rational observation. Dolls just didn’t get up and move on their own. “So…that pizza we were gonna order…” Steve reminded.\n\nEveryone exchanged looks of mild amusement and laughed. \n\n“I’d say it’d be cruel to make some kid drive up out here. Our driveway’s probably a mudfest,” Steve detailed as he walked over to the fridge. “We’ve got…water…beer…water…”\n\n“Looks like you just need to eat the snacks I made Nat buy,” Tony chimed. “Doritos are tasty, my friend.”\n\nSteve cringed, but it was either that or go hungry… “Fine.”\n\nThey sprawled out in the living room. Natasha grabbed the video game controller and flicked on the PS4. “Who wants to challenge me?”\n\n“I’ll take a whack at it,” Bucky said as he scooped up the other controller; a devilish smirk playing with the corners of his lips. \n\nSteve settled in between Bucky and Bruce. He leaned his head on Bucky’s shoulder, curling in his knees and breathing in his husband’s scent. Bucky kissed his head lightly. “Wanna watch me beat Nat?” Bucky asked.\n\nSteve nodded against Bucky’s shoulder. “Yeah, baby.”\n\nAs the game was loading up, the lights flickered. Steve looked up, watching the yellow glow of the bulbs before they shut off entirely. The PS4 and TV also abruptly halting. \n\n“Ah, Christ,” Tony huffed. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”\n \nThunder rolled above, as if the sky was laughing at them.\nBucky groaned, standing up. “There’re candles in the closet. We can put ‘em out.” \n\n“Maybe we should just turn in for the night?” Clint suggested. “Me n’ Nat got the guest room with an actual bed, yeah?”\n\nSteve laughed. They’d purchased a several bedroom house on purpose; starting a family required more than one bedroom. However, they only had one extra bed, so the last bedroom was left empty with some random boxes tucked in till Steve had time to go through them. “That’s fine with me as long as Tony and Bruce are good.”\n\n“The recliner’s comfy,” Tony said as he pushed the lever back to release the footrest. “I just need a pillow and blanket.” \n\n“Here, take one of these,” Bruce said as he offered one of his numerous blankets from before. Tony groaned as he leaned forward to snatch one of the blankets. \n\n“So…we using candles or are we all just going to bed?” Bucky asked as he held out several candles. “Wait…have you guys seen my cat?” \n\nSteve licked at his lips slowly. He hadn’t seen Pietro since he’d been let out of his crate. \n\n“Guys…” Bucky sighed out. “I need to find my cat. What if that kid accidently let Pietro outside?” \n\n“Pietro wouldn’t go out in the rain,” Natasha said. “He’s too prissy.” \n\n“Yeah, but this is a new house,” Bucky countered as he pulled out one of the flashlights from the closet. “He might be confused.” \n\nSteve ran his hands over his face gruffly. He could [[assist Bucky]] or he could [[go upstairs and wait]] till Bucky found his cat. \n

Steve grabbed the shard. The girl gasped, her eyes wide as she watched him bring it across his throat.\nBlood spilled out, gushing down over Bucky's face. Distantly, Steve thought Bucky looked like he was crying. \n\nHe dropped his head, his eyes getting heavier and heavier. He had nothing left... Nothing... \n\nThis house had taken it all from him. His lover, his life...his very soul. \n\nWhen darkness swallowed him up, he longed to be united with tender arms and beautiful lips.\n\nPerhaps God would have mercy on his wretched soul. \n\nEND (Oh! Looks like you got a VERY bad ending! Feel free to use that back button to find where you went wrong! Or start over to play through other storylines and make all new decisions!

“Oh God damn it,” Bucky groaned. He crossed the room to the standing Steve, looking into his eyes. “You better be my damn husband.” \n\nSteve smiled, relief flooding his eyes. “Yeah, I swear I am.” \n\n“Okay.” \n\nThe other Steve started shrieking, his body morphing into a dark shadow that slipped from the chair. Bucky screamed, turning and banging on the door. Steve did the same. The red lights on the chair started to dim and the whole room went black. \n\nBucky felt himself pulled into the air. There was no thought in his brain. Fight or flight—or freeze. Freeze was what his body did. He slammed into the wall, the back of his head blooming with pain. \n\nSteve screamed somewhere. \n\nBucky stood up, trying to figure out where he was in the room. He clung to the wet wall, feeling like he’d just spun around too many times. “Steve?!” \n\n“Buck! Bucky I’m up here!” \n\nBucky stuck to the wall, eventually feeling a sort of draft. “Steve?”\n \n“Up here. Fuck.” \n\n“Are you okay?” Bucky asked as he started to climb. What the fuck was under their house?\n\n“I think my ankle’s sprained.” \n\nBucky crawled into the tiny area, there was a tiny, suffocating bit of light from some room above. Bucky looked at Steve’s leg. It was swollen. \n\n“You’re gonna have to walk on it.” Bucky looked up, offering a sympathetic face.\n\nSteve bit his lip, gingerly touching his ankle. He grit his teeth, hissing. “Stings. How—how are we gonna get down?” \n\n“I don’t think we do,” Bucky said. He crawled over to the small light and pushed. The earth gave way and the other side spewed into a room that looked older than the house. The same bulbous stones made up the walls. “Maybe we can go this way.”\n\n“Jesus.” Steve crawled over. “What the shit?”\n\n“I dunno.” \n\nBucky helped Steve up. They hobbled into the room. The only light was from a single candle that flickered menacingly. Bucky could swear he saw fleeting images of the little girl, peering out from the darkest shadows. \n\n“The fuck is this place?” Steve asked, sitting at an old wooden chair. He pulled a book over, looking down. “This ain’t English.” \n\n“Great.” Bucky didn’t want to look. It was bad enough he was dealing with ghosts, but now strange rooms with musty books? He missed Manhattan. He leaned over Steve’s shoulder, looking at the pictures. They looked like the stereotypical pictures one would find in a horror film—except this wasn’t a film. This was their lives. \n\n“So demons?” Steve asked.\n\n“I don’t wanna talk about demons.” \n\n“But—if that’s what’s in our house? What if it’s not actually ghosts?”\n\nBucky dropped his head on Steve’s shoulder. “I hate everything.”\n \n“I hope Bruce and Tony are okay,” Steve said. “We need to get outta here.” \n\n“I don’t—Steve—I don’t know what to do. How do we fight this? Do we even fight it? Or I mean—is this it?”\n\nSteve grabbed Bucky’s hands, caressing his thumbs over the knuckles. He looked at Bucky with adoration radiating off his dimly lit face. “It’s not it. I’ve got a whole life to live with you.” \n\nBucky wanted to believe it. \n\n“Should we bring the book?” Bucky asked. \n\n“I don’t see why not.” Steve snagged it, tucking it under his arm. “Help me?”\n\nThey made their way through a door into a long hall covered in mud, dirt and bugs. Battling cobwebs, spiders and other slimy creatures seemed almost more horrific than the ghosts—demons—whatever—plaguing the house.\n\nThey came up some stairs with a little difficulty with Steve’s ankle but then found themselves in a storm cellar within walking distance of their home. It didn’t belong to them, which made Bucky wonder who it did belong to—[[and what they knew about it.]]\n

“Detective Knight doesn’t wanna rule out poison.” Steve’s stomach twisted just thinking about one of his found-family poisoning Bruce. \n\n“Jesus.” Tony shifted in his spot. “Are you fucking kidding me, Steve? We watched it! We were all in the kitchen! The last person…” Tony jerked his head toward Clint, eyes murderous.\n\n“Hey!” Steve grabbed Tony’s hand, yanking when Tony stood up. “Now isn’t the time, Tony!” \n\n“He could’ve killed one of my best friends. I’m sure you know I only have three of those. You and Rhodey’re all that’s left.” \n\nSteve dropped Tony’s arm, his mouth going slack. Tony considered Steve a best friend? Eyes wide, Steve sat there, dazed. He’d never thought Tony really liked him all that much. Maybe he did, in his own unique Tony little way, but best friend? Steve thought of Tony that way, but Steve was the kind of guy who didn’t think he really had anyone but Bucky. It’s what sometimes made Steve so irrational when it came to Bucky. Bucky had friends growing up. He had girlfriends and then he had boyfriends.\n\nSteve didn’t. Steve was the kid that got picked last in gym class. The kid that Bucky brought along to everything and everyone still groaned about it. \n\nSteve only had Bucky, so to hear that Tony thought of him as a best friend? It felt good. \n\n“Hey, what the fuck, man!” Clint said, pushing Tony.\n\n“Yo! What the fuck!” Rhodey got between the two, brow furrowed and shoulders stiff. \n\n“I ain’t a murderer, Tony!” Clint shouted. Natasha grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him back, leading him to the kitchen. “How fuckin’ dare you! You fucking piece of shit! Our friend just died! OUR FRIEND JUST DIED!” \n\nSteve dropped his face into his hands. Everything bad that happened, happened because of him. \n\nHe looked up, miserable. Behind Bucky was the flash of a white, muddy dress and long, mangled hair. And a blink later? It was gone. \n\nSteve stared, focusing near Bucky’s thighs. He listened to the fight, heard the police moving into the room and Detective Knight shouting about taking something to the station. \nThe world was falling around Steve and all he could do was stare and watch. Focused on whether or not something was even there or not… \n\n--\n\n“I’m sorry we’re not staying,” Clint said to Steve, leaning on his car. The ambulance turned their lights on, but the sirens remained off. The dead didn’t need to be rushed, they had all the time in the universe. “I’m not gonna stick around with that piece of shit.”\n\n“Hey,” Steve said, raising his hands. “Be nice. We all grieve in our own ways.”\n\n“Yeah well, accusing one of your friends that you poisoned the other one? Shitty way to grieve.”\n\nSteve frowned. \n\n“We’ll be up at the Motel 8, okay? If you n’ Buck need anything, give us a holler.” Clint smacked Steve’s back, a brief salutation. He walked around to the driver’s side of his car. Steve looked down at the pond, watching the police finish up the investigation there. He guessed they could officially call that a closed case now. They had the body and everything… \n\n“Why’re we staying?” Bucky asked. His face was scrunched up in anger and his fingers twitched. “We need to go!” \n\n“It’s our house, Bucky.” Steve shrugged. “We can’t just give up. We haven’t even paid it all off yet. The furniture loans and—”\n\n“I don’t give a flying fuck about loans, Steve. We have to go!” \n\n“I’m not leaving this house!” Steve stepped forward, staring down at Bucky’s dark eyes. The shadows from the moonlight, finally peering around the thick clouds painted Bucky’s face in cold blues. He looked murdersome. \n\n“Don’t make me do this Steve.”\n\n“Why not, Buck?!” Steve gestured wildly to the house. “It’s a normal house! Nothing happened! Yes, Bruce died! But nothing else happened!”\n\n“Tony–”\n\n“Tony could’ve scratched himself! We were all scared! Bruce is dead, we’re all grieving! You slipped and hit your head, Buck! That’s all! That girl is dead and let her be dead!” Steve turned around, storming over to the house. \n\nRhodey was in the foyer with Tony, both of them whispering in hushed tones. \n\n“Who pissed in your cheerios?” Tony asked.\n\n“Fuck off, Stark.” Steve marched up the stairs and went down the dark hallway. He didn’t care about the strange sounds in the other hall. It was an old house. Houses made sounds. He flipped the lights on and began stripping the bed from the wet sheets. He’d have to flip the mattress. Probably buy a new one in a day or two. This one would get moldy. \n\n“Steve…”\n\nSteve turned around, sighing. Bucky was clinging to the doorframe, his hair in his eyes. \n\n“I’m just scared.”\n\n“I know.” \n\n“I don’t know why I can’t calm down.” He trudged into the room, dropping into Steve’s arms. Steve held his husband, stroking his soft hair.\n\n“It’s an old house. We’ve had a rough night. Sleep’ll make it better.”\n\nBucky clung to Steve, his fingers twisting up in Steve’s shirt. “I don’t wanna sleep.”\n\n“Want me to make love to you?”\n\n“No,” Bucky said quickly. “I can’t do that—I’ll just think of Bruce…”\n\nSteve nodded. “Yeah, me too.” He walked over to the linen closet, pulling out new sheets. “Help me make the bed?”\n\nBucky nodded. \n\nTogether, they made the bed in silence, flipping the mattress and putting the new sheets on. Once finished, Bucky moved over to the window, staring out at the pond. “Pietro was wigged out.” \n\nSteve sat on the bed, watching. \n\n“I couldn’t find him after. I’m afraid he—what if he fell in?” \n\n“We would’ve seen.”\n\n“Would we?” Bucky turned around, staring at Steve. Heavy bags were under his eyes. He looked so much older than he really was. It was sad, seeing Bucky look so tired. “He’s just a cat.” \n\n“He’s outside, I know it.” Steve reached out for Bucky’s hand, smiling. “Come to bed.” \n\nBucky slipped between Steve’s legs, dropping his head against Steve’s. “I can’t stop being afraid.” \n\n“I’m with you,” Steve said, kissing Bucky’s torso. “I’ll always be with you.” \n\n“You swear?”\n\nSteve smiled. It was the easiest promise he’d ever make. \n\n“I [[swear]].”\n

“Baseball bats,” Steve answered. “I’m not killing anyone.”\n\n“He tried to kill me,” Bucky grumbled. “Bashed my head against the fucking wall.”\n\nSteve whined, pressing a kiss gingerly atop Bucky’s forehead. “But you’re alive. We’ve got him outnumbered baby. You just stay here with Bruce okay. He’ll get you taken care of.”\nBucky pouted, but didn’t protest. He wanted to be going with them. He watched as they grabbed a few baseball bats from the closet and the group descended the basement stairs again. \n“Let’s get that cut looked at,” Bruce said as he sat down next to Bucky with a washcloth and bandages. \n\n“Think I need stitches, doc?” \n\nBruce smiled but shook his head. “No. Your laceration is pretty topical. Just messy.”\n\nBucky leaned up, letting Bruce wipe away the blood. He let his eyes flutter closed, but snapped them open when he thought he saw movement. “That girl!” he exclaimed, sitting up and pressing his stomach to the back of the couch. “I saw that girl again! STEVE! STEVE!” Bucky shouted.\n\n“Bucky!” Bruce protested. “You shouldn’t yell right now.”\n\n“Fuck off, Banner,” Bucky grumbled. “STEVE!”\n\nSteve ran up the stairs with Nat on his tail.\n\n“I saw that girl! She was in the foyer just…just watching.”\n\n“What?” Natasha gasped. “You gotta be fucking kidding me!”\n\n“Alright,” Steve said, putting the bat down. “I’ll go check it out.”\n\n“I wanna come with you,” Bucky said as he started to stand up. His vision blurred and he faltered back into Bruce.\n\n“You really shouldn’t,” Bruce advised. “This couch or your bed. One or the other.”\n\n“Fuck that I’m not stayin’ alone anywhere in this house!” Bucky protested. “Steve please let me come with you!” His eyes strained, drowning with anticipation as he waited for Steve’s response. \n\nHe couldn’t stay here alone or with Banner. That girl and that man were in the house and all he wanted was to make sure Steve was safe. \n\n[[Steve is convinced.]] [[Steve is not convinced]].\n

They made it two steps out into the night. Steve thought they’d be able to walk away with ease until they heard Pietro scream.\n\n“My cat!” Bucky darted off toward the sound. He ran around the house toward the pond.\n\nSteve groaned, following. The group found Bucky on the dock, trying to coax the cat away from the ledge into the pond.\n\n“C’mon, kitty,” Bucky cooed. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty. C’mon Pietro.” \n\n“I hate that cat,” Natasha said, standing next to Steve.\n\nSteve looked at the house. He thought he saw one of the curtains shift, but at this point he wasn’t sure what was reality and what was just his mind. He turned back around, watching. Pietro’s back was furled up, his fur on end. He was growling and hissing at Bucky.\n\nBucky kept inching closer, and Pietro kept taking the smallest steps back. The cat didn’t want to go into the pond, but if Bucky kept pushing, Steve knew he would. And there was a funny feeling in Steve’s stomach that made him know something bad would happen if the cat fell in.\n\n“Bucky!” he shouted. “Leave him!”\n\n“Fuck you, Steve!” Bucky turned back to Pietro. “Here kitty, c’mon now. C’mon!”\n\n“He’s scared, Buck!” Clint wrapped an arm around Natasha’s shoulder. “Let’s just go!”\n\n“I mean, he is a cat.” Tony shrugged.\n\n“And your point?” Steve cocked a brow.\n\n“The point is, he’ll be fine. He’ll find a nice tree to get stuck in and that’ll be the fireman’s problems tomorrow.”\n\n“Jesus, Tony. Every time I think you’re—”\n\n“There’s a car!” Natasha ran for the car, waving it down.\n\nThe headlights followed Natasha until the car was a few feet away. Once off, a black man with lean shoulders came out.\n\n“Ah, of course you get here before the cops,” Tony said. He walked over to Rhodey, greeting him with a tight hug.\n\n“Hey Rhodey,” Steve said, perplexed. “When did—”\n\n“Steve I can’t get him!” Bucky called over by the pond. “Help me!” \n\nSteve sighed, ignoring Bucky for a moment. Seeing another face made his nerves settle a bit. Rhodey being here made Steve remember that the whole world was still going. They could keep going too. \n\n“Tony called me.” Rhodey’s eyes were dark, his lips turned down. “I’m sorry about Bruce.” \n\nTony shrugged. “Glad you’re here now.” \n\n“So what’s been going on?” \n\n“Bucky said he was attacked, he’s now over there being the crazy cat man.” Tony pointed over his shoulder. “I took a nap in an attic and I’m not entirely sure how I got there but this is me we’re talking about. We’re just generally spooked out.” \n\nRhodey nodded. “Uh, should someone help him?”\n\n“Oh shit!” Steve ran for Bucky, slowing when he got to the dock. Bucky was on his hands and knees, reaching out for their hissing cat. “He’s scared, Buck. The storm’s probably freaked him out.”\n\n“That’s exactly why he can’t stay out here alone, Steve.” Bucky inched forward. The board snapped and his leg fell through.\n\n“Bucky! GUYS HELP!” Steve started pulling, dropping Bucky like a hot kettle when he screamed out. \n\n“Something…something’s yanking me!” Bucky started flailing, twisting himself further into the hole.\n\n“Bucky!” Rhodey called as he swung around the man. “Stop struggling. We’re here!”\n\n“Something’s yanking me! Fuck, get me out! Get me out, get me out, get me out!” He kept flailing. In his frenzy, he managed to backhand Tony and scratch Rhodey on the face.\nSteve went behind Bucky, pleading with him to stop screaming and calm down, but it was useless. Bucky kept shouting. His limbs kept flailing and he eventually went through the dock and down into the pond.\n\nRhodey jumped in without a moment’s hesitation.\n\nSteve watched, horrified when their heads didn’t come up immediately. He jumped down into the water, feeling around for bodies. Slime and gravel slipped along his hands as he searched beneath the water. He finally found a body and pulled up, shrieking when it wasn’t the one he wanted. In his arms, he held the remains of a soggy, hardly recognizable child. Rhodey and Bucky were at the side of the pond, heaving for air.\n\nSteve couldn’t put the body down. He felt someone behind him yank him backwards and then the scratchy grass tickled at his back, but he couldn’t put the body down. Why hadn’t they taken her body? Why hadn’t they buried her? She was a child! A fucking child! \n\n“Steve,” Tony’s voice, “Steve let go. Let go of her. Steve!”\n\n“He’s in shock.” Another voice. Steve wasn’t sure if it was male or female. He couldn’t stop staring at the puffy face of a girl who used to have a life… goals and dreams. Fears. Her father had killed her and they never even found the body? \n\n“Steve.” Bucky’s voice. “Steve, let her go. It’s okay.”\n\nSteve finally dropped the body. He shoved his face into Bucky’s chest, sobbing. Seeing her puffy, fish-bitten face. Knowing how small she’d really been… It wasn’t fair. Steve wanted a life with children. He wanted this house to be where those memories were created. It wasn’t fair that this child had to die so tragically. What right did Steve have to be happy here when she suffered? \n\n“Shh, it’s okay baby doll,” Bucky cooed, stroking Steve’s hair. “I gotcha.”\n\n“Let’s go inside,” Rhodey said. “I see more headlights.” \n\nBucky helped [[pick Steve up]] and the group went back into the house. \n\nThe only thoughts Steve had were on that child’s face and the life she never got to be…\n\nThe woman she never became.\n

Bucky smiled. He reached for Steve, cupping his face. “You know I do.” \n\nSteve kissed his cheek. He felt colder than usual, but Bucky was freezing too. He longed to be back inside a house that wasn’t haunted. He’d settle for some rundown motel too. \n\n“We need to get to the basement.” Steve’s voice shattered Bucky’s lovely thoughts, dredging up dust and fear. \n\n“Are you shitting me? That’s the exact place we do NOT need to be!” Tony said, brows pinched. \n\n“I know it’s crazy. But I think I remember seeing a room down there? One that we couldn’t open. I put some boxes in front of it.” \n\n“That’s not weird or anything,” Bruce stated, tossing his hands up. “Okay, why the fuck not. Let’s go fight the zombie girl and the creepy shadow guy.” \n\nThey turned toward the house. Bucky saw a glimpse of a shining girl hiding behind a tree. He paused, tilting his head to the side. She stepped out, shaking her head no. He opened his mouth to speak, blinked—and she was gone.\nBucky sighed, looking up at the house. He didn’t like this… But he said he trusted Steve. That was his husband after all. It wasn’t possible not to trust him. \n\nThey filtered into the house, one behind the other. Hands gripped shoulders. It was best if they stayed like this to stick together. The house was creaking in ways Bucky had never heard before. It was moaning, or crying. He wasn’t sure. They crept toward the basement, Steve at the front.\n“We should burn this place,” Tony said. “Bet you two could get some insurance money for it.” He waggled his brows at Bucky.\n\nBucky rolled his eyes. He wasn’t opposed to the idea though… \nThey crept down the basement stairs. Bucky’s hairs stood on end. His whole body was whirring with fight or flight. Adrenaline pumped into him, mixing with blood and hammering in his ears. He felt sick. Clinging to the walls was hard when they were moist with some kind of thick goo. He slipped once, but Steve caught him. \n\n“You okay?” Steve smiled. He seemed so relaxed. But that’s just how Steve was. He looked at a problem and went on solving it. Step by step. Bucky loved that about him. Bucky nodded and together they went to the front of the group. \nBucky furrowed his brow, listening to the strange moaning behind the door. Steve pulled some boxes away, showing it off. It looked ancient—older than the house itself. \n\n“Is someone in there?” Bruce asked.\n\n“Dunno,” Steve said. “But I think this is where we’re supposed to go.” \n\nBucky blinked, listening to the sounds. They were melodic, pitchy and almost like someone was crying. He looked at Steve, furrowing his brow. “How do you know?”\n\nSteve shrugged. “It’s a spooky door in a haunted house, Buck. Why else would it be here?”\n\n“It could get us all killed.” Tony moved to sit on the washer. “I’m not doing it.” \n\n“Okay,” Steve said. “I’m not asking that we all go. Maybe just two?” \n\nBucky’s heart sank. He knew who’d be going with Steve. He shifted forward, listening to that melodic cry. It was familiar. He’d heard it somewhere before, but didn’t know it till now. Kind of like a store jingle. It was gone from the mind until he heard it again—then it was like he’d never stopped listening. \n\n“I wonder if that’s the girl.” Bucky traced his hand over the door. It was freezing. “Maybe we’ve gotta get her out?” \n\n“Maybe.” Steve put his hands on his hips. “All I know is—this scares the shit out of me.” \n\n“And yet we’re here, standing before the door?” Tony asked, cocking his head. “Wanna explain that logic?”\n\n“Gut feeling,” Steve said. \n\n“Do you think it’s locked though?” Bucky asked, caressing the keyhole. “What if we need a key.”\n\n“Break it down,” Bruce said. “With Steve’s arm, that shouldn’t be that hard.” \n\nBucky rolled his eyes. Though, he looked at his husband, big biceps, broad chest that he could practically fuck. Yeah, it shouldn’t be too hard. \n\n“Maybe it’s magically unlocked.” Tony jumped down, shrugging. “Have we tried that one yet?”\n\nBucky turned the knob. The crying instantly stopped. “It’s open.” \n\n“Oh Jesus,” Bruce said. “Open it before I change my mind.” \n\nBucky did, slipping inside the door. He and Steve got in before it slammed shut behind them. They turned, pounding and screaming. Terror gripped at Bucky’s heart like death grabbed at the elderly. It tugged, haunting him, teasing him until he would just give up. He fought, screaming for Bruce or Tony to open the door. He wouldn’t give up. He wouldn’t! \nHe was pulled back, flung across the room. \n\nWhen he opened his eyes, Steve was on an old chair in the middle, his body strapped in and his eyes gushing tears. His face was beaten, his lip bloody. He sobbed—that familiar sound. \n\n“Steve!” Bucky stood up, reaching for him.\n\n“Bucky, no!” \n\nBucky turned, looking to another Steve, the one he’d come in here with. But… “Wait…” Bucky looked back to the crying form on the chair. He was gasping, his lungs rattling inside his body. \n\n“That’s not me, Bucky.” \n\nBucky looked again, circling the sobbing man in the chair. He wanted to reach out—to touch. Screaming… He could hear screaming. “Bruce?! TONY!” Bucky ran for the door, banging again. Silence. “Fuck me.” \n\n“We’ve gotta get out of here,” Steve said.\n\n“But that’s you!” Bucky pointed accusingly at the man in the chair. He hadn’t looked up yet. He just kept sobbing. It tore at Bucky’s heart, squeezed his lungs and pushed at the backs of his eyes. He couldn’t witness his husband suffer like that. “Jesus, Steve! That’s you!” \n\n“No it’s not!” he said. “Baby, I’m right here.” \n\nBucky backed up to the wall. There were no windows in the room. He couldn’t really see much other than a faint red glow that came from the twisting wires around the other Steve’s body. The walls seemed bulbous with ancient brick and they glistened with moisture. \n\n“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” Bucky said, feeling hopeless. “I can’t leave you like that.”\n\n“That’s not me, Bucky.” Steve stepped forward, reaching out. \n\n“We have to help him.” Bucky ignored Steve’s hand and moved to cup the sitting Steve’s face. He looked up, choking out an unused rattled laugh.\n\n“B-Bucky!” \n\n“Steve?”\n\n“Get me out,” Steve pleaded. “Please get me out, he’s gonna kill me, please get me out!” He started shaking, pulling at the restraints. The red burned brighter and he cried out.\n\n“Steve!” \n\n“That’s not me, Bucky!” the standing Steve said again. “It’s a trap!” \n\n“I can’t leave,” Bucky said, tears filling his eyes. “I can’t—I can’t leave you.” \n\n“Baby, I swear to God, I’m right here.” \n\nBucky looked to the crying man in the chair. He wailed, dropping his head back, whispering, please don’t kill me, please don’t kill me. Bucky’s heart lurched. He stroked the man’s face, nodding. “I’ll get you out.” \n\n“Bucky!” Steve snapped. “Don’t do it!” \n\n“Steve! This is YOU! This isn’t some—this is YOU!” \n\n“It’s not. Me. Bucky.” Steve furrowed his brow, lifting his chin. “We have to go.” \n\n“You’re the one who led me in here,” Bucky said. “You’re the one who thought this is where we had to be?” He looked up, clenching his jaw. “How do I know you’re even the real Steve?” \n\nSteve blinked, looking around. “Because—I just—seriously, Bucky?” \n\n“YOU LED US DOWN HERE!” Bucky tried to pull at the restraints and the man in the chair screamed. “Oh shit!” \n\n“Bucky, that’s not me. Please let’s go. Why would I bring you in here only to want to leave again?”\n \n“I dunno,” Bucky answered lamely. “None of any of this makes sense.” He dropped to his knees before the crying Steve, caressing his knee. “But I won’t leave him.” \n\n“Bucky,” Steve pleaded. “Trust me. I made a mistake! I thought this is where we needed to go!” \n\nBucky swallowed. Trust him? He didn’t even know who that man was. \n\n“What’s my birthday?” \n\n“March 10th. Bucky c’mon!” \n\n“What did I tell you when we got married?”\n\nSteve blinked. “What?”\n\n“What did I tell you the day we got married? Right after I slipped the ring onto your finger.”\n\nSteve faltered, blinking. “I—you said—oh fuck.” \n\n“You said—” the sitting Steve said, voice agonized with disuse and screaming. “We better get a damn dog.” \n\nBucky stood up, shaking his head at the standing Steve. “Why’d you lead me here?”\n\n“Bucky!” He tossed his hands up. “Seriously? I didn’t fucking know! I had an idea! I didn’t fucking know!” \n\n“You’re not my Steve.” \n\n“Yes I am!” \n\nBucky pulled at the restraints on the other Steve, wincing when the man cried out. It caused so much pain but Bucky could see the rope getting looser and looser. \n\n“Bucky PLEASE!” the standing Steve shouted, his voice giving out. “Trust me.” \n\nBucky licked his lips, looking from [[the crying Steve]] to [[the one standing]]. Which did he believe more? \n

"Oh we're breaking in that bed. And I've got a little idea." He went into the bathroom, finding the toys from earlier and pulling out some rope. He ran his finger over the texture. It was rough, but it’d do around Bucky’s wrists. He took a bandana out too, biting his bottom lip. \n\nHe came back, pressing soft kisses all over Bucky’s face, feeling the man lean into each one, feeling those arms wrap around him and try to pull him down. \n\n“Not yet, Bucky,” Steve cooed, pulling back. “Get your clothes off.” \n\nBucky bit his bottom lip, breathing shakily as he pulled off his clothes. He sat at the edge of the bed, his cock already red and hard. \n\nSteve licked his lips, slow and tantalizing– just the way he knew that drove his husband crazy. \n\nBucky whimpered, his leg muscles quaking as Steve was sure he was fighting off the urge to stand up and pull Steve into him. \n\n“I’m gonna tie you up. That okay?” Steve asked, his voice gentle and melodic. \n\nBucky looked to the rope and then back to Steve. “Yeah, yeah Stevie.” \n\nSteve smiled, moving closer. He wanted to be the one to take Bucky's cock in him tonight. He needed it, after all the weird shit of the day.\n\nSteve slung his shirt off over his shoulders and threw it to the side. He came behind Bucky, pulling the man under the arms into his chest. He pressed several kisses against Bucky’s temple before gently pulling the man’s arms behind him. “You let me know if this hurts the second it starts hurting.”\n\n“Steve,” Bucky sighed, his voice heavy with warmth and content. “You know pain gets me hard.”\n\n“Like hell.” Steve nipped Bucky's nose. He tied a knot around Bucky’s wrists, tugging it tight before deciding to tie another knot for security. He knew Bucky could break the rope at any second, it was cheap rope they'd bought on a whim, but that wasn’t the point. He wanted his husband comfortable. He wanted his husband to enjoy this and trust that Steve would take care of him. \n\nSteve smiled, moving to press soft kisses to Bucky’s lips. He giggled when Bucky’s tongue reached into his mouth, flicking flirtatiously. Steve hummed into the kiss, letting his chest rise and fall. “I love you.”\n\n“I love you,” Bucky echoed. \n\n“Sit up,” Steve ordered lightly, watching as Bucky straightened out his spine. He looked down to Bucky’s cock, reaching out to give it a little attention by swiping his thumb over the tip and a tickle at the underside.\n\nBucky tensed, mewling out as he rolled his hips into Steve’s touch. \n\n“Shh,” Steve cooed. “I’ll give you what you want.” He then picked up the bandana and tied it around Bucky’s eyes. “This okay?”\n\n“Christ, Steve,” Bucky sighed, his whole body quaking in violent tremors. “I’m gonna come just from this.”\n\n“That’s okay,” Steve said. “You come if you need to.”\n\n“Jesus,” Bucky whined, rolling his head down. \n\nSteve pulled Bucky further to the edge of the bed, getting between his lover’s legs and bending to let his lips brush at the tip. It was warm and precome was already leaking steadily from it. \n\nBucky hissed, his whole body going rigid. Steve could feel him struggling to keep his hands behind him so he reached out and wrapped his arms around his husband, holding those hands with his own. \n\n“Stevie,” Bucky whined, dropping his head back and gasping. “Fuck I’m gonna come like this.”\n\n“It’s okay,” Steve soothed, squeezing Bucky's hands, “I’m gonna take care of you.”\n\nSteve grazed his lips over Bucky’s tip, closing his eyes and rolling his chest into the bed, the fabric going over his sensitive nipples. He let his tongue dart out to lap at Bucky’s slit. \n\nBucky squirmed, whimpering and hissing as Steve slowly enveloped him into his mouth, slipping his lips further and further down. He didn’t move his tongue, just let it glaze along the underside as he took Bucky into his mouth– hot and slow. \n\n“Steve,” Bucky keened, pushing his hips back into the bed, almost like he was trying to get away. “I’m gonna come.”\n\nSteve hummed around Bucky’s cock, letting it push more and more into his throat. He felt the tip bump his uvula and automatically his throat muscles started to constrict and gag around the intrusion. \n\nBucky cried out, pushing his cock roughly against the back of Steve’s throat.\n\nSteve held him there, his tongue slipping back and forth on the underside as come sprayed into his throat. Once Bucky stopped shivering and gasping, Steve slowly worked Bucky out of his mouth, letting his plump lips drag along the sensitive length. He let his tongue swirl around it, earning cries and soft gasps from his love. He closed his lips against the tip before pressing kiss after kiss against that twitching cock, smiling at how it responded to him– so excited and eager for his warm lips. \n\n“St-Steve,” Bucky gasped, squirming in his restraints. “I still need you. This bed ain't broken yet.”\n\n“I know you do,” Steve said, standing up and pulling Bucky into him, letting Bucky’s face hit his abs. He intertwined his fingers with Bucky’s hair, stroking at the base of his skull lovingly. “I’m gonna take care of you, don’t you worry.”\n\n“God, baby doll,” Bucky sighed out, “the things you do to me.”\n\nSteve laughed before pulling back and slipping out of his jeans. He gave himself a few strokes, getting himself nice and hard for Bucky. “I’m gonna feed you my cock, okay baby?”\n\nBucky nodded his head eagerly like a child being asked if they wanted candy. \n\nSteve reached out, tracing those delicious lips, giggling breathlessly as Bucky’s tongue came out to greet his fingers shyly. “You’re so beautiful.” \n\nBucky bit his lip, dragging his teeth along it to plump it out more. \n\n“I’m gonna pull you to your knees, okay?” Steve asked, putting his hands on Bucky’s shoulders and waiting for any sign that Bucky wasn’t okay with the idea. \n\nBucky scooted further off the bed, falling into Steve and letting the man guide him to his knees gently. “Want your cock, Stevie. Want it so bad.” \n\nSteve laughed, watching his lover fall apart, begging and shivering on his knees as his hair curtained around his face. Steve got onto his knees, pulling Bucky into him, cupping his hand at the back of Bucky’s skull and placing deep and rough kisses against his lips. He chewed softly on Bucky’s mouth, earning little gasps from his beautiful husband. \n\nSteve felt tears hit his eyes as he thought back on the first night they ever did something like this. He'd been so scared to control Bucky so much, but Bucky's trust in him was unwavering. He pulled back, kissing over the bandana at where he assumed Bucky’s eyes were and then nipped playfully at his nose. \n\n“Dork,” Bucky laughed, but he wiggled on his knees excitedly anyway. \n\n“You love me,” Steve teased, pressing a kiss to that cute little nose of Bucky’s.\n \n“More than anything in this fucked up world,” Bucky said, lifting his chin to catch Steve’s lips with his. \n\nSteve stood up, bringing the tip of his cock over to glaze Bucky’s lips. \n\nBucky hummed enthusiastically, but he didn’t tug it into his mouth. It was his silent submission. 'I’ll know when you’ll want me to open my mouth.'\n \nSteve let his cock trace against those red lips, lips so seductive and worth dying for. He gently pushed his tip against the center of Bucky’s lips and Bucky opened his mouth, but Steve pulled his hips back. “Nu-uh. Just your tongue.”\n\nBucky leaned forward, swiping his tongue out and finding Steve’s slit.\n\nSteve melted against the pleasure that oozed down his body from his shoulders to his toes. He sighed out in content, feeling Bucky’s tongue press against his slit quickly. “God, Bucky,” Steve moaned, petting his hand in Bucky’s hair. “You’re so good at this.”\n\nBucky made a delighted noise in his throat before licking more eagerly. He ran his tongue along the dips of Steve’s circumcised tip into the base before pushing his tongue back and forth against the underside of the it.\n\nSteve’s legs were trembling already, that beautiful fire swirling in his body as his husband lapped at his cock. He pushed the tip against Bucky’s lips and Bucky dropped his mouth open, waiting patiently for Steve to feed his cock into Bucky’s mouth. \n\nSteve pushed slowly inside, feeling that hot tongue twitching and jerking around eagerly against his underside. He hissed when Bucky’s lips closed over him, sucking softly and slipping back and forth against him. \n\n“Bucky,” Steve gasped, rocking his hips into that mouth. “Suck harder. You do want you want, baby.”\n\nBucky moved forward on his knees, bobbing his head more and taking Steve’s cock in and out of his mouth, sharp wet sounds echoing into the air as his lips would close over the tip before swallowing it back down again. He hummed occasionally– soft little chirps when Steve would hit the back of his throat. Bucky didn’t have much of a gag reflex to Steve’s delight. \nBucky shifted his shoulders, adjusting his bound hands. Steve put his hands over those shoulders, giving a light massage as he continued to rock in and out of Bucky’s mouth. He was worried that Bucky was uncomfortable and anything he could do to give him some relief, he’d absolutely do.\n\n“God, Buck,” Steve groaned. “Faster.” \n\nBucky obliged, bobbing his head quicker, those little sucking sounds getting more frequent until it was all Steve knew. No creepy shit, no ponds, no dead families in his house. Just him and Bucky, making love. Steve rocked into Bucky’s mouth, a little more violently than he should but Bucky didn’t pull back. He just kept sucking down Steve’s cock and humming around it. \nSteve gasped sharply as his orgasm loomed against his cock, tightening his ass muscles before spurting seed into Bucky’s throat. “F-fuck! Fuck, Bucky! Bucky!” He gripped Bucky’s shoulders, shaking and feeling tears push from his eyes. \n\nBucky moaned around Steve’s cock when Steve’s release washed over him like a violent whirlpool, pulling at his muscles, seizing his cock and melting his bones. \n\nSteve crashed down onto his knees, hissing when Bucky’s canines nicked his cock as it was roughly pulled from Bucky's mouth. He was gasping for air, pushing his face into Bucky’s shoulder and whimpering as his dick still dribbled out more come. Sometimes he came in one violent burst that sent his body into euphoria and sometimes it waved at him, explosive at first, then lulling only to push back at him. He writhed against Bucky, his cock untouched but still twitching and squirting come from the tip. \n\nBucky must’ve known what was happening because he whispered into Steve’s ear, “It’s okay, baby. You’re doin’ so good.” \n\nSteve laughed, timid and almost embarrassed. He was supposed to be in control and yet Bucky could switch it like that so fast with the softest of little praises. He whined, desperate and hoarse as heat pooled up in his loins and still sputtered from his straining cock. \n\n“Lemme touch it,” Bucky said against his ear. “Lemme help you work through it, baby doll.” \n\nSteve whined, pressing his dick along Bucky’s abs for some form of relief. He cried out, tears streaming from his face as the heat rose in his stomach again. “S’too much,” he whimpered. “Fuck I hate this.” \n\n“Hey no,” Bucky cooed, nuzzling his face against Steve’s. He knocked the bandana down and looked Steve right in the eye. “It’s just cause your body loves me so much.”\n\nSteve trembled, biting his lower lip as he rutted against Bucky, feeling his orgasm finally subsiding. “God, it does,” he affirmed, his eyes drunk on that beautiful, rugged face and those stormy eyes that would send most men screaming and crying away. Steve loved that resting murder face, as he called it.\n\n“God, I love you,” Steve groaned, pulling Bucky into his arms and cupping his head. “I love you so, so, so much.”\n\nBucky sighed into Steve, adjusting his shoulders. “I love you too, doll.” \n\n“Want you in me,” Steve said, pulling Bucky up roughly and dropping him onto the bed.\n\nBucky yelped at the sudden change of atmosphere, but all he did was give Steve a salacious grin.\n\nSteve spun around, going to his dresser and pulling out a bottle of lube. He slicked up his fingers, looking at Bucky with a coy smile. “Want me to turn around so you can watch?”\n\nBucky whined, biting hard against his lip. “Fuck yeah.”\n\nSteve laughed, but he got on his knees and bent over, balancing on one hand as the other went to his ass to slick up his hole. \n\nBucky was breathing loudly, panting and mewling incoherently as Steve slipped a finger into himself. He rolled against his finger, pushing it into him a bit quicker than he should’ve but it didn’t hurt– he just knew Bucky liked the show, and he wanted to give that to Bucky. Wanted to make Bucky so hard he was almost too sensitive to touch. Steve could get Bucky to come just by talking to him. \n\nSteve groaned, slipping two fingers into himself and brushing up against his prostate. He felt his cock already hardening again, dribbling precome like it was designed to do it, an endless, warm stream oozing from his body– a constant reminder of just how much he loved having something up his ass. \n\n“Steve,” Bucky whimpered. “Please sit on my cock. Please, Jesus– please.”\n \nSteve laughed, pulling his fingers away and standing to sling a thigh over Bucky. He hovered, pressing kisses to Bucky’s forehead, letting his cock slip up and down between his lover’s pecs. “You want me to take care of you?”\n\n“Yes,” Bucky whined, his lips twitching as he looked up at Steve with a watery, needy gaze. “Please hold me in you.”\n\nSteve reached down, slipping his fingers around Bucky’s tip, smiling softly when his love cried out, pushing his face into Steve and groaning. “God you’re so needy tonight.”\n\n“Fucked up night. Need you.”\n\nSteve hummed, letting his thighs stretch out on either side to lower himself down over Bucky’s cock. He let the tip wedge just up against his hole, holding steady.\n\nBucky was frantically kissing at Steve’s chest, licking any flesh he could and nibbling along it like it was made of chocolate and wine. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” \n\n“Want in me, baby? Tell me how much you want it.” \n\nBucky groaned, a flash of impatient desperation crossing into his features. He nipped at one of Steve’s nipples before pulling back. “I need it so bad, Stevie. I’m gonna die without it. Gonna just fucking explode and die.”\n\nSteve rolled his eyes. “So melodramatic.” \n\n“Steve,” Bucky moaned, his voice straining. “I’m gonna literally die if you don’t slam that pretty hole over me.” \n\nSteve full on laughed, pressing kisses to Bucky’s face before lowering himself, slow and easy much to Bucky’s dismay. \n\nBucky smashed his teeth together, the veins in his neck expanding as his body shivered violently. “Fuck you.”\n\n“Oh wow,” Steve commented, his brows rising. “You think I don’t know what you need?”\n\nBucky closed his eyes, breathing heavily through his nose.\n\nSteve squeezed his muscles around Bucky’s tip, letting that sensation ring through Bucky. “Think I don’t know what your body needs?” He let himself engulf a bit more, letting his hole flutter around Bucky’s cock, bringing him in and squeezing so tight it could hurt.\n\nBucky cried out, pushing his head into Steve’s chest. “Fuck me,” he whimpered. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ, Stevie. Yes. Yes you know. You know what I need.” \n\n“So when I go slow?” Steve asked. He wanted to smash his ass down. He wanted to split himself open and ride Bucky till they were both screaming and rubbed raw, but he did know what Bucky needed. Bucky loved slow sex. He loved the kind where he could feel every little bit of texture inside Steve. He loved the feeling of Steve’s ass, surrounding him and pulling him in inch by inch. So Steve gave him that, because, he wasn’t kidding himself– he loved it too. They both felt it in their nerves, like surges of desperate energy– so intense it seared against them, like fireworks exploding upon skin.\n\n“You go slow,” Bucky began, his voice husky and broken. “Because it’s best for me.” \n\nSteve smiled, placing an approving kiss on Bucky’s lips before letting his legs fall open so Bucky’s cock could slip the rest of the way in. \n\nBucky hissed, his head coming down to bang into Steve’s shoulder. He bit down on Steve’s shoulder, moaning into the bite as his body trembled. \n\nSteve swirled his hips slowly, rocking back and forth, but gentle enough that Bucky didn’t topple over. He couldn’t hold himself up or balance Steve with his arms tied behind his back. Steve had to keep them from falling over. He lifted up, letting Bucky’s cock slip out to the tip before slowly setting himself back down.\n\nBucky had tears in his eyes, he was chewing frantically against his lip and looking at Steve like he didn’t know anything else existed. Like the fucked up shit from today never happened. Like they hadn't been scared. It was the best look Steve had ever seen.\n\nThat intensity, that trust that Bucky gave Steve was almost dizzying. Steve wrapped his arms around Bucky, holding him close and rocking his hips softly back and forth. “You feel good, baby?”\n\n“Yes,” Bucky whispered. “God, yes.” \n\n“Did I know what’s best for you?” He pulled back, circling his hips again and watching Bucky’s throat tense as a groan ripped from the pit of his throat. \n\n“Y-you always know,” Bucky stated, low and breathy. His eyes were misty and unfocused, his limbs still trembling beneath Steve. Steve was pretty sure if he tried to get Bucky to do anything, he’d not even know where to put his body. \n\nSteve gasped when Bucky’s cock pressed against his prostate. He dropped his head into Bucky’s shoulder, whining a long, pitchy vibrato that made Bucky’s hips jerk instinctively. Even fallen apart and swimming in bliss and Bucky’s body still knew when to respond to Steve’s. It was like their souls took over when their minds were too hazy. He bounced up and down, feeling Bucky’s tip hit into him, over and over until even Steve’s throat was constantly whining and mewling over Bucky’s gasps and moans. \n\nHe tightened himself around Bucky, wrapping his legs around Bucky’s back to support them both as he rolled into Bucky. His lips found Bucky’s– desperate and agonized as they crashed together. \n\nSteve’s orgasm simmered over him, lingering in the base of his cock as it rubbed between him and Bucky, rolling up and down against Bucky’s skin. He squeezed himself harder around Bucky, kissing Bucky like air was unnecessary. \n\nBucky started pushing himself up rhythmically, faster and faster till they were smacking into each other loudly, a mess of mewling gasps, moans and groans between their entangled lips. \n\n“Bucky,” Steve gasped, rocking into his lover, burying that dick so deep in his ass, filling him up flawlessly and making himself impossibly warm. “Gonna come, gonna c-come.”\n\nBucky swallowed roughly before pressing his lips back against Steve’s. “Kiss me, please? Please while you come.” \n\nSteve laughed, swiveling his hips as his orgasm started to grip his balls. He pressed his lips to Bucky’s, crying out into his lover’s mouth as he came. Come squirted from his cock, splashing up against Bucky’s chest. Steve shivered, mewling into Bucky’s mouth as he fought the sensation that plagued his body like the sun coming too close. He could feel it everywhere, curling his toes, shuddering his back and pulling at his fingers that desperately clung to Bucky’s hair. \n\nHe felt Bucky, urgently drilling up into him, groaning and whining into his mouth too. He broke through the rope, grabbing Steve and pulling him impossibly close, his nipples rubbing against Steve’s skin. Bucky bit down on Steve’s bottom lip, almost screaming as a loud, painful whine passed from his mouth. \n\nSteve groaned from the pain that blossomed on his face, pulsating from his veins and into his nerves as he rode out Bucky’s orgasm. He pushed them back, falling atop Bucky and rocking his hips against Bucky’s violently with bruising force. \n\nBucky was crying, begging Steve to stop in hushed whispers against his ear. "S’too much, too much, too much!"\n \nSteve slowed down, his knees awkwardly pressing into Bucky’s spine as his weight pushed them both down. He pulled up, putting his palms out on Bucky’s chest. “You broke the rope.”\n\n“I’m sorry,” Bucky apologized, sounding deeply upset as he looked away. “Just got…so much.”\n\nSteve smiled, caressing Bucky’s sweaty face. “S’okay. We’ll just have to buy better rope for me.”\n\nBucky looked up, his eyes round and hopeful. “You're gonna be so pretty all tied up.”\n\nSteve laughed, slipping off Bucky and pulling his legs out from beneath his lover’s body. Steve walked into the bathroom, rinsing off. He was too tired to shower. His limbs were jelly, but he loved it. He loved the soreness in his ass and the way his limbs felt like they'd been out in a hot car for too long.\n\n"I need a shower." Bucky swatted Steve's ass as he walked into the bathroom, smirking. "Join?"\n\n"Nah, I'm gonna sleep."\n\nBucky nodded, turning into the bathroom.\n\n-[[POV Switch: Keep Door Wide Open]]- OR -[[POV Switch: Crack door just a tad]]-\n\n

Bucky looked to Bruce and Tony, shaking his head. He stepped back, tears falling in chunky droplets from his eyes. “I don’t wanna die…” \n\n“Bucky,” Bruce said, his brow creased. “We can beat this!” \n\nBucky shook his head, he turned to Steve, pleading. “We’re supposed to grow old together.” \n\nSteve clenched his jaw, shaking his head. “So you think we deserve to live more than them?”\n\nIt tasted like bile in the back of his throat. No, no he didn’t think that! But he was scared. There was a life here to be lived! Tony was cheating on Pepper, Bruce was an accessory to that. They were liars and Steve and Bucky had a perfectly beautiful relationship and it was being ruined! It was over too soon… It never had a chance to bloom. \n\n“I pick them,” Bucky whispered. His stomach knotted up. The world went quiet, the leaves stopped rustling, the insects ceased buzzing. It was as silent as death, but the sound was devastating. \n\nTwo new souls came to stand next to the others, faceless. Bucky knew them though. He blinked, looking over at the pale bodies of people he once called friends. Eyes wide with horror, so strained Bucky wondered if they’d shatter. \n\nHe fell to his knees, listening to the world move again.\nSteve walked away. \n\n“Steve!” Bucky cried out, sobbing. “St-Steve wait!” He reached out for Steve with desperate fingers. The only thing that came was the chill in the air.\n\n“Don’t talk to me, Bucky,” Steve said. He went into the house, slamming the door. \n\nBucky turned to look at his friends. He shrieked. \nHe shrieked. \n\n--\n\nSteve divorced Bucky the following month after having no communication with Bucky. \n\nBucky eventually killed himself from over the guilt.\n\nEND\n(Oh no! You found a bad ending! Replay from the beginning for a new experience or go back to pick a different choice! Please don’t forget to leave a comment or a kudo on archiveofourown!)\n

Bucky whimpered. He felt foolish, listening to a ghost over his own husband. He shook his head, stepping back. “I don’t—trust that.” \n\nSteve narrowed his eyes. “Trust my idea or me?” He crossed his arms. Bucky could see the flush of anger creeping up his neck.\n\n“I’m sorry…”\n\n“Are you fucking kidding me, Bucky?” Steve looked up as something banged on the wall. “Fine. I’m gone then.” \n\n“Wait!” Bucky leapt forward, grabbing Steve’s arm. “I’m just scared.” \n\nSteve scrutinized him with his gaze, disappointment so clear Bucky could drink it. The worst thing in life was disappointing Steve Rogers. \n\nThe footsteps were getting closer. Bucky whined, looking at the door. He knew, he knew with absolute certainty that if they stayed, that’d be the end for them. Nat would die for no reason. This thing would get to keep killing. Bucky wouldn’t stand for that. He knew Steve wouldn’t either. \n\n“Okay. Whatever you wanna do, let’s just do it.” Bucky cringed, feeling utterly dejected. He was a cast aside ragdoll with no more life left. \n\nSteve moved over to the window, opening it. He slipped outside, climbing along the house. Bucky followed, clinging to the gutters as best he could. They hobbled down the slippery roofing and jumped to the ground below. “Bucky!” Steve shouted.\n\nBucky turned around with enough time to see a girl crawling out of the pond, muddy and ghostly pale. Her hair blocked her face and she moved like the bones in her body weren’t there anymore.\n\n“Oh fuck! Run! Run, Steve run!” \n\nThey did, they ran into the treeline. Bucky kept behind Steve, following that shock of blond hair. He turned around and relaxed when nothing was chasing them. \n“Steve! Holy—Steve slow—slow down!” \n\nSteve slowed to a jog, biting his lower lip. “Don’t TRUST me to slow down?” He gasped, catching his breath. “We lose it?” \n\n“Yeah.” Bucky would ignore that comment. He deserved it.\n\n“We’re in the woods though,” Steve said.\n\n“Yup.” Bucky started walking. They had to find somewhere to hide or get some damn salt. “Wait!” His eyes snapped open. “Your rosary!” \n\n“It’s in the car?” Steve’s eyes also rounded, realization draining in. “Oh it’s in the car!” \n\n“We’ve just gotta get it!” \n\n“God, this is—this is fucking crazy, Bucky!”\n\n“There’s a dead girl hobbling around on all fours and there’s a ghost in our house. I think we’ve surpassed that.” Bucky grabbed Steve’s arm. “We’ve gotta do this. We can’t leave Bruce and Tony.” \n\n“Do you have your phone?” Steve asked, following Bucky back toward the house. “Mine’s dead.” \n\nBucky shook his head. “I left it in the house.”\n\n“Fuck. We need Sam or someone.”\n\n“We just need each other. We can do this, baby.” Bucky offered what he hoped to be a reassuring smile. \n\n“Trying to kiss my ass now?” Steve didn’t seem so reassured. The shadows from the trees danced across his face like sharp nails, ready to peel back his skin. He looked older out here, not as powerful. They were both afraid. \n\nThey came back to the long driveway, keeping to the trees. Bucky peeked around one, looking. “I don’t see anything.” \n\n“Doesn’t mean it ain’t there.” \n\nBucky leaned back, biting his lip. “You think Bruce and Tony are okay?”\n\n“God, I hope. Car?”\n\n“Yeah.” Bucky stayed low, creeping behind Bruce’s car and then rolling behind a bush. He looked out. The front door was wide open. That was either a good sign or a horribly bad one. He didn’t want to really think which was which. He crawled over to the car, grabbing the door. It opened silently and he snuck inside, reaching for the glove box. \nHe heard a nose in the backseat. \n\nHe could [[look]], or [[not]].\n

Steve felt warmth slip down his arm before he realized what it was. He could see the red. It moved fast, like a fallen paint can. His vision cleared, but what he saw—his mind worked not to understand. \n\nBucky’s eyes were staring at him, lifeless and wide—betrayed. Glass was in Steve’s hands, but it was in Bucky’s head too. The window was completely bashed in. Blood dripped onto the floor, a steady rhythm that paced as fast as Steve’s heart. \n\nHe screamed. \n\nHe screamed because his hand was the one around Bucky’s throat. It was a hollow sound, the sound of the soul leaving, yet the body kept breathing. He pulled Bucky from the window, holding him close and rocking. \n\n“No…no…no…no no no no no no!” He kept rocking, a steady stream of tears to protect his eyes from the horrors before him. \n\nBucky was lifeless in his arms, his hand thudding on the floor. Steve noticed the cop’s body’s gone, but didn't care to do anything but cry. \n\nHe pressed his face into Bucky’s neck, screaming, screaming so loud that he was sure the world could hear him. It was like nails on a chalkboard, like a cat scratching down his throat. It hurt so badly but he couldn't stop screaming. \n\nHe'd done this… He'd done this…\n\nThere was a faint sound of sirens in the distance. Steve clutched Bucky’s body closer, still crying into his lover’s bloodied face. Tears mixed with blood, swirling. \n\nHe heard a child’s laugh. The response is automatic—human. Steve looked up. He saw her, the girl Bucky trusted so much. She was smiling, murderous and wicked. \n\n“You did this,” he choked out. \n\n“You did this.” Her voice was innocent. “They’re coming for you.” \n\nThe sirens got louder. Steve looked at Bucky, shaking his head. “No…no I didn’t do this… I didn’t—I could never…”\n\n“He trusted you.” \n\n“Please, stop—please bring him back.” \n\n“You killed him.” \n\nSteve looked at one of the shards, he could [[grab it]] and end his own life. There was nothing left for him anyway… They’d all call him a murderer and they’d be wrong. But who would believe him when the scene was so vividly painted? [[He could run]], try to get away and talk to Sam about it all—maybe someone else got out alive. Or…\nOr he [[could accept it]]. \n

Steve felt warmth slip down his arm before he realized what it was. He could see the red. It moved fast, like a fallen paint can. His vision cleared, but what he saw—his mind worked not to understand. \n\nBucky’s eyes were staring at him, lifeless and wide—betrayed. Glass was in Steve’s hands, but it was in Bucky’s head too. The window was completely bashed in. Blood dripped onto the floor, a steady rhythm that paced as fast as Steve’s heart. \n\nHe screamed. \n\nHe screamed because his hand was the one around Bucky’s throat. It was a hollow sound, the sound of the soul leaving, yet the body kept breathing. He pulled Bucky from the window, holding him close and rocking. \n\n“No…no…no…no no no no no no!” He kept rocking, a steady stream of tears to protect his eyes from the horrors before him. \n\nBucky was lifeless in his arms, his hand thudding on the floor. Steve noticed the cop’s body’s gone, but didn't care to do anything but cry. \n\nHe pressed his face into Bucky’s neck, screaming, screaming so loud that he was sure the world could hear him. It was like nails on a chalkboard, like a cat scratching down his throat. It hurt so badly but he couldn't stop screaming. \n\nHe'd done this… He'd done this…\n\nThere was a faint sound of sirens in the distance. Steve clutched Bucky’s body closer, still crying into his lover’s bloodied face. Tears mixed with blood, swirling. \n\nHe heard a child’s laugh. The response is automatic—human. Steve looked up. He saw her, the girl Bucky trusted so much. She was smiling, murderous and wicked. \n\n“You did this,” he choked out. \n\n“You did this.” Her voice is innocent. “They’re coming for you.” \n\nThe sirens got louder. Steve looked at Bucky, shaking his head. “No…no I didn’t do this… I didn’t—I could never…”\n\n“He trusted you.” \n\n“Please, stop—please bring him back.” \n\n“You killed him.” \n\nSteve looked at one of the shards, he could [[grab it]] and end his own life. There was nothing left for him anyway… They’d all call him a murderer and they’d be wrong. But who would believe him when the scene was so vividly painted? He [[could run]], try to get away and talk to Sam about it all—maybe Bruce or Tony got out alive. Or…\nOr he could [[accept it]]. \n

Bucky was almost finished getting dressed when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He calmly turned around, assuming it was Steve, maybe going to steal a kiss. When he turned, he saw the shape of a shadow fade in the blink of an eye. He fell back into the dresser, his chest heaving. He held his shirt in his hands, and he hastily put it on. He looked around the room, cringing when the lights flickered off.\n\n"Who is this?" Bucky asked, his voice trembling. \n\nAnother tap on his shoulder. He whirled around, whimpering softly into the room. "Christ, Ch-Christ!" His gaze searched desperately for whoever was playing games with him. Part of him wanted to still believe this was only a girl playing with him. It was a new, unfamiliar house full of a dark past. He could be letting his mind play tricks on him, but someone was in here with him, he’d seen the shadow. But they weren't hurting him. That had to be something. \n\n"Bucky!" someone called from the bathroom. "I'm in here!" \n\n"Steve?" Bucky gasped. "No you're n-not... No he's not! He's downstairs!" Bucky backed up toward the door to the hall but it slammed shut. "F-f-fuck!" He panted into the silent air, his gaze still searching the room for any sign of movement. \n\n"Bucky, please!" The-Not-Steve wailed from the bathroom. "Please, baby! I fell! Please!"\n\nBucky pried himself from the wall, whimpering pathetically as he slowly walked toward the bathroom. He knew this was a trick. It was curiosity though. Bruce said ghosts could exist, and Bucky believed him. So he was walking, resigning himself to whatever was happening. Alone. At least he knew his Steve was safe with the others downstairs.\n\nBucky walked into the bathroom, flicking the light switch but nothing happened. He whined in his throat as his body trembled. "St-Steve?"\n\n"I'm right here, Bucky," The-Not-Steve called. There was a dark image in the bathroom stall. "Please help me." \n\n"I'll help you," Bucky whispered. "Just please don't hurt us."\n\n"Why would I hurt you, Bucky?" The-Not-Steve asked. "I love you."\n\nBucky felt tears slip from his eyes. He took a deep, shaky breath, looking down at the black figure through the frosted glass. He was supposed to open the door... "Do you...do you need help?"\n\n"I fell," The-Not-Steve explained. "Help me up."\n\nBucky opened the door, his eyes going wide as nothing was there. A cold chill ran down his spine before he had a second to back up. He felt someone push at his back, rattling his spine and slamming his head into the tiled wall in front of him. The water turned on, ice cold. \n\nBlood slid down the tile as Bucky cried out, his body already shivering from the cold water. First the rain and now the shower. He was beginning to hate water. "I wanted to help you!" Bucky screamed. "I just wanted to help you, please pl-please let me help you!"\n\nHe reached up, gingerly touching his head. Blood smeared against the pads of his fingers. He turned around, shrieking as he came face to face with the girl.\n\nShe was small, not older than twelve with long, stringy brown hair and thick black-rimmed eyes. She was soaking wet and had rotted lilypads in her hair.\n\nBucky whined, pressing back into the tile, trying to get away from her. "I w-w-wanna help you," he continued.\n\n"Why do you love him?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "He's not even searching for you. You're shivering and cold, just like me. He's not even saving you."\n"H-he doesn't have to," Bucky growled. "I can save myself."\n\nHe could [[kick]] her or try to [[keep talking to her]]. The choice was his, and he had to act fast.\n

“No offense, Bucky,” Clint heaved a big sigh, “but Steve’s right. We can leave once the cops get here.” Natasha curled her arms around Clint’s waist, nuzzling against his neck. She sniffled, quickly wiping away a tear.\n\nBucky knew what he saw. Knew what he'd heard. They should've been leaving. They should've been getting into cars and high-tailing it out of there. He whined in the back of his throat, watching Steve move toward the hall closet.\n\n“We need weapons,” Steve said. \n\n“Like what? The salt and bats?” Clint asked as they walked into the parlor. \n\n"Yup," Steve answered.\n\nBucky sat on the sofa, staring at the fireplace. He suddenly had a really bad feeling about that fireplace. His jittery gaze kept flicking around the room, to the dark windows and the railing that he could barely see in the foyer. She was here. She was watching. She had to be.\n\n“Salt,” Tony said with a flick of his wrist. “Crosses. Garlic? Oh wait, that’s vampires. But I’d wager you all believe in those now too?”\n\n“Tony,” Bucky's tone was barely above a hiss. “really? Look, we’re not askin' you to believe me. Just help us. Or you can sit by yourself. But I know what I saw.”\n\nNatasha sat before Bucky, dabbing gauze at his gashed head. He winced but her presence was soothing; a grounding reminder that he wasn't alone in this. He had Steve too, but, he wasn't listening. Steve was probably just as scared as Bucky but his stubborn-head wouldn't cave just yet. He had to see for himself. Bucky just prayed that didn't mean he'd get himself killed.\n\n“I may just do that,” Tony replied, leaning against the parlor’s large archway.\n\nSteve moved into Tony’s personal space. “What’re you doing, Tony?” Steve asked. Their noses were barely touching. Bucky’s mouth dropped open as he watched them puff up their chests and clench their fists. His eyes flicked over to the fireplace again and then back to the men who were bristling faster than male lions during mating season.\n\n“I’m being logical.” \n\n“My husband's terrified. Someone was upstairs!” Steve said, pointing toward the front door. “Explain his head!”\n\nBucky's eyes rounded. So Steve did believe him. Then why weren't they leaving? Bucky knew the answer before he even really let the question waft into his brain. Guilt. Steve was guilty. Bruce was dead and they hadn't been around to ease his passing. Steve had an incessant need to right wrongs. This was just another one of those ways.\n\n“Kids. Pranks. Look, I’ll help out! I’ll go along with this but you can’t expect me to believe something science has NOT told me exists! My friend is dead and I'm not leaving his body alone here.”\n\n“Steve,” Bucky whispered, moving to grab his husband’s hand. “Let it go.” He looked over to the fireplace again. Maybe he'd lose some of the chill in his bones if they got the fireplace working.\n\nSteve glared at Tony one last time before tearing off into the hall beneath the staircase. “Weapons. Now.” \n\nThey rummaged through the hall closet for some bats. Nat was just about finished with Bucky's cut. \n\nThey all sat down in the parlor. Bucky was still transfixed on the fireplace. He refused to sit near it. Something about it was no longer beautiful but twisted and wretched. He was just waiting for a spark that set the house aflame.\n\nSteve slunk his fingers into Bucky’s. “I love you.” Steve playfully leaned into Bucky, smiling. "And I'm sorry."\n\nBucky leaned against him, still watching the fireplace. “We leave the second the cops arrive. And I love you too.” \n\n“So we’re really gonna sit like this all night?” Tony paced the room like a caged animal. “Till the cops come and take away my dead best friend?”\n\n“Yes," Steve replied distantly. "You don’t like it, you can leave.” He didn't even look up at Tony. He stared at the wall. Probably hiding away in his head like he did so often.\n\n“Fine. I will. I need some time alone anyway...to...let things sink in.” \n\n“Tony wait! Please!” Bucky stood in a hurry, his eyes crinkling from urgency. “Please stay. I'm sorry, just please stay.” \n\nTony shrugged. “I’m proving a point. It was a shitty prank, but it was just a prank. I'm sorry about your head, but my best friend is dead.” He stood up and jogged up the stairs.\n\n“God damn it,” Clint groaned under his breath. “We should go after him.”\n\n"He shouldn't be alone right now," Natasha added.\n\n“No,” Steve said. “He needs some time to accept this."\n\n“Steve...” Bucky stared at his husband's concerned face. “He could die. I swear that girl's still in this house.” \n\nSteve furrowed his brow, clearly locked in a heated battle with himself. His chest rose and fell. Bucky reached out, pressing his hand against Steve’s sternum. \n\n"Please don't let him die too," Bucky said. “We should bring him back.”\n\nBucky hoped Steve would bring Tony back. [[POV Switch Bring Tony Back]] \n\nBut part of him knew that Steve often left people alone when they needed to deal with their emotions. [[POV Switch Let Tony be]]

Bucky grabbed Steve’s hand, trying to smile through teary eyes and trembling lips. “This ain’t their time.” \n\n“Bucky,” Bruce said. “No! We can stop this!” \n\nSteve looked at their hands, nodding slowly. “Or we can die so you two can live. Enough people’ve died.” \n\n“It’s okay,” Bucky said. It wasn’t okay. It was absolutely entirely way too far from okay. He was terrified. This wasn’t dying in a car crash or getting cancer. He’d be taken by a demon. Was Hell real? Would he be with Steve? He was goddamned petrified. But the choice wasn’t really a choice at all. This is just who he was. “It’s just dying. We all do it.” \nSteve squeezed his hand, stifling a sob. \n\nBucky looked to the black shadow and then out at the faceless ghosts. He assumed he’d be one of them. “Explain something please?”\n\n“What?” the shadow asked.\n\n“The people who died in this house, the girl and her family. Was this part of this too?”\n\n“Father and daughter,” the shadow said. Two silhouettes moved forward, the size of a man and the size of a child. “You destroyed her vessel. You’ll have to be the next one.” \n\n“No,” Steve said, stepping in front of Bucky. “Me. Don’t do—don’t do that to his body.” \n\n“Guys,” Tony pleaded. “We can stop this.”\n\n“Just go,” Bucky said. “It’s over.” Bruce’s eyes widened and he ran for the house. Bucky’s lips parted, watching the way he moved with so much urgency. A flicker of hope, like a dying flame clutching to life, wafted through Bucky. Perhaps Bruce was…? Still trying?\n\nSteve pulled Bucky into a hug, cupping the back of his head. “We’ll be together, yeah?” \n\nBucky hiccupped. “Yeah.” They kissed through tears, their bodies finally realizing this was the end. Bucky’s nerves screamed. They wanted to explode from his skin and burrow into Steve. \nWhen they pulled away, the demon had taken the shape of Steve with glowing red eyes. \n\n“Were you the one in the chair?” Bucky asked.\n\nThe demon nodded. “It’s better when lover kills lover.” \n\n“I’m not doing that,” Steve said. His voice was absolution, like a clock striking midnight. “Nothing you can do would make me kill Bucky.” \n\nThe demon smiled, a wicked, twisted imitation of Steve’s face. Bucky found it beautiful. “Possession is an easy thing…” He stepped forward, gasping. Red exploded from his chest. He grabbed it, looking up in shock.\n\nBucky almost reached out, but Steve—his Steve—pulled him away. A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air. It seared Bucky’s ears and made his muscles go taut. He buried his face in Steve’s chest and covered his head. \n\n--\n\nGrasshoppers. \n\nThat’s the first sound Bucky heard when he realized the world was quiet and he was still alive. He blinked, looking around. The ghostly images were gone, the demon was gone, a smoking pile of red glowing rock at his feet. “Oh…” \n\n“Bruce did it,” Steve said. “That sonuvabitch.” \n\nTony and Bruce came out, whooping and hollering. They ran to Steve and Bucky, enveloping them in big hugs. \n\nBucky had never felt so light. Laughter escaped him like a geyser. He couldn’t stop. Tears streamed from his eyes, his limbs were jelly, but his lungs wouldn’t stop chuckling. He grabbed Steve, pulling his lover into him. They fell to the ground, rolling and kissing each other. Tongues sloshed into mouths, teeth accidently nipped lips, it was a terrible kiss—it was a perfect kiss.\n\n“I love you,” Bucky whispered. “You beautiful, beautiful idiot.” \n\n“I love you.” Steve nipped Bucky’s nose. “You self-sacrificing jerk.” \n\n“Jesus that was close,” Bruce said, collapsing to the ground. \n\n“We can all thank me for knowing a single word in Sanskrit,” Tony said, dusting his shoulders off for show. “It’s on the logo for a beer I like—Khajurako. They’ve sometimes got Sanskrit on their labels.” \n\n“And the word was?” Steve asked, running his fingers through Bucky’s hair, he didn’t look away from Bucky. \n\n“Upside down.” Tony plopped on the ground, cupping his chin in his hand. “Random right?” \n\n“Except we remember the room in the basement and how the door was actually hinged upside down.” \n\n“It was?” Steve asked. He playfully punched Bucky. “See! I told you we needed to go in there!” \n\nBucky rolled his eyes. \n\n“So, what happened?” Bucky asked. \n\n“We had to put the book upside down.” Bruce laughed. “Stupid easy, right? The demon was summoned. That’s how it was sent back.” \n\n“Who summoned it?” Steve’s face screwed up. “Who’d be that stupid!”\n\n“That’d be good ol’ crazy momma—the survivor of this fucked up ghost story.” Tony shrugged. “I found a diary in the basement and started reading it while Bruce was panicking about you two dying.” \n\n“So glad you were worried,” Steve teased. He flicked Tony for added effect. \n\n“She got jealous of her daughter. Her husband was spending a lot of time with her, teaching her sports and the usual dad stuff.” Bruce bit his lip. “I thought for a moment it’d be a creepy abusive thing, but it was just a man being a good dad and she for some reason resented that.” \n\n“Wow,” Bucky said. What mother would be upset that her husband was doing a good job at raising a child? Sure, she had to split his attentions but, surely a good father was a…thing people wanted? He looked to Steve, curious how they’d adopt once they had kids.\n \n“So hotel?” Tony asked.\n\nEveryone agreed. They helped Steve into one of the cars, looked around for Pietro (they found him under the porch, perfectly fine) and then they left.\n\nBucky would never return to that house again. It didn’t matter that it was all over. It happened, and he didn’t want to relive it again. \n\nNatasha’s funeral was more than sad. Clint was a mess, and he’d probably continue to be one for the rest of his life. Steve and Bucky eventually relocated to Brooklyn. They didn’t mind the overpriced living. They also made sure no strange murders happened in their new brownstone. Clint moved in with them when Steve urged that he needed someone like family. \n\nEvery year on the anniversary of Natasha’s death, it wasn’t easy—but that was life. A constant battle with demons and ghosts…some real…some not. \n\nEND (Congrats! You find an “this is okay” ending! You may go back and try to find a way to save Nat, or you can restart for an entire new experience! Please don’t forget to leave a comment or a kudo for the fic on archiveofourown.)\n

“Bucky wants to go,” Steve said, staring at Bucky, Clint and Nat. “But if we go, I think he’ll never wanna come back. This is OUR house. How do I get him to stop bein’ afraid of it?” \n\nTony sat down next to Steve with a heavy thud. He smacked his lips, watching the paramedics load Bruce onto a stretcher. “Our friend just died here. I don’t exactly think I’ll look at your house and get excited for the holidays either. I’ll always remember that Bruce died here. But it wasn’t like he got murdered. He died. Strangely, yes, but—he died. He wasn’t murdered.” \n\nSteve thought about telling Tony about the poison aspect. \n\nIf he [[told Tony]], then Tony may get suspicious of everyone here. But if he didn’t and it was true, then it was like [[lying to Tony]]. Steve was done lying to people. \n

“We should probably see where everyone else is at,” Steve said as he walked to the front door, opening it for Bucky. “I’ll be right back.” He scooted through the hall, passing under the curved stairway to the small powder room under the stairs. He stared at himself in the mirror, licking his lips slowly. That girl had been out there, right? She’d seen them, right? What kind of girl grabs a man’s pants and takes off like that? \n\nHe quickly washed himself up, startling when the door swung open to expose Bucky with a cocked brow. “You good?” Bucky asked.\n\n“You just freaked me out.” Steve leaned around Bucky, snatching a pair of sweats he’d left on the towel rack to slip on. “I’m just getting spooked is all.”\n\nBucky snorted, going over to the toilet. “Sorry.”\n\nSteve finished up cleaning himself off and turned around, watching Bucky flush the toilet. “Do you think she’ll tell her parents what she saw?”\n\nBucky shrugged, moving to the sink. “Scooch over. And I dunno. I don’t really care. This is private property and she was running around it like it was hers.”\n\n“Maybe she took my pants cause we’ve got her dress,” Steve mused. “I didn’t even think of that.”\n\nBucky sighed, pulling Steve’s face against his to press a kiss to his cheek. “Maybe. But let’s go. See what the others are doing.”\n\n“Yeah.”\n\nBruce, Sam, Nat and Clint were in the kitchen. They all looked moderately disturbed. Nat’s face was sheet white as she clutched to her chest. Bruce chewed at his bottom lip. Sam was staring at his feet.\n\n“What’s goin’ on?” Bucky asked as he slid into the breakfast nook. “Ya’ll look like you saw a ghost.” \n\n“We can’t find Tony,” Natasha said. “He was with Sam and Bruce before he decided to look up in the attic. We went up there to help and no one can find him.”\n\n“What?” Bucky exclaimed, leaning forward to pick up one of the shattered pieces of porcelain on the table. “No one saw him leave the attic right?”\n\n“I heard him walking around up there, thought he fell and went to check on him and he was gone,” Bruce explained. “Just…vanished.”\n\n“Well people don’t just vanish,” Steve affirmed, crossing his arms over his chest. That girl though, the dress, his pants now Tony. Things were happening that Steve didn’t understand, nor did he want to understand. Tonight was supposed to be a night of celebration. It was turning into a night of terror and anxiety. He pinched his nose, sighing heavily. “Okay, we’ll go up and check.”\n\n“We should all go together,” Sam said. “I don’t want anyone getting lost. This is a big house.”\n\n“Sam,” Clint grumbled. “It’s just a house.”\n\nSam gave him a stern look, his jaw twitching. “I’m not risking it till we find Tony.”\n\nThe group made their way up the stairs, Steve was at the helm. He turned to flick on the lightswitch but nothing came on. \n\n“Steve turn on the lights!” Natasha whined. \n\n“I’m trying! They’re not working.” He flipped the switch a few more times for good measure. “Maybe we blew a fuse.”\n\n“I’ll go check the basement,” Bucky stated.\n\n“Wait!” Sam said, snatching his wrist. “We stay together. Remember?”\n\nBucky nodded, looking back over to Steve. “We can use our phones?”\n\n“Turn your flashlights on if you got ‘em,” Steve suggested as he sidled up to Bucky. “My pants had my phone.”\n\n“And where are your pants?” Natasha asked, a smug grin on her lips.\n\n“Don’t worry about it,” Steve grumbled. \n\nThey moved forward as a group, sticking closer to each other than normal. \n\nSteve pulled the attic stairs down slowly. “I can’t see shit. Someone with a light should go first.”\n\n"Sam's got a light," Clint said. "So [[Sam Goes]], first."\n\n"Scadey cat," Sam said, smirking at Clint.\n\n"You caught me, now go go go go!"\n

Steve joined Clint, Nat and Bucky in the hallway. Clint was almost finished with getting the ladder down.\n\n"He could've pulled it back up," Bucky said. "Maybe that's why it's up." \n\n"Maybe." Natasha glared at Steve. "You got any bright ideas?"\n\nSteve's eyes pleaded with her, begging for forgiveness. "He could've pulled it up, yeah."\n\n"Let's go up," Clint said, blissfully unaware of the moment Steve and Natasha had shared in the bathroom. Steve envied him.\n\nThey went up one by one. Bucky had a lighter and he used it to peer into the darkness. Steve hated that he didn't have his phone anymore. That girl, or someone had taken it with his pants outside... \n\nIt was dusty and smelled faintly of rotting wood in the attic, but what stood out the most was a chair with the form of a man on it. Steve tried to see into the blackness but without Bucky's faint glow from the lighter, he was stumbling over old newspapers and random piles of junk.\n\n“Tony?” Bucky asked. He inched closer, his breathing getting louder and louder till he let out a puff of relief. “Tony’s asleep.”\n\n“Up here?” Clint gasped. “How?”\n\n“Tony!" Natasha shouted, stomping.\n\n“What! Jesus! I did not have sexual relations with that woman!” Tony blabbered as he woke up. \n\n“Tony! You scared the shit out of us!” Natasha dropped to her knees in front of Tony, keeping her hand on the man’s knee. “Why are you in the fucking attic?!”\n\n“Oh,” Tony said, rubbing at his eyes. “Sorry. I guess I got really sleepy. Wait, I’m in an attic?”\n\n“You didn’t bring yourself up here I’m guessing?” Bucky inquired, cocking his head to the side.\n\nTony shrugged. “I don’t honestly remember why I decided to nap in the attic. I just…got sleepy. It was weird. I remember us in the parlor and now I’m here.” He winced, rubbing at his head.\n\n“You don’t remember fighting with Steve?” Natasha asked, crossing her arms over her chest.\n\nTony ruffled his hair, sighing. “Uh, no-yeah. I remember that.”\n\n“Sorry,” Steve apologized. “But you need to hear us out.”\n\n“Look at you,” Bucky said, bringing the lighter close to it to show scratch marks. “I don’t care what science says, you've got scratch marks all over your hands and face.”\n\n“Well, that’s awkward.” Tony stood up, brushing himself off. “When’re the police getting here? And why don't I hurt?” He touched his face, wincing. "Nevermind. That hurt."\n\n“No idea,” Steve said. “But honestly, I’m perfectly okay with just walking away now. Bruce's body will still be here when the police arrive.”\n\n“Walking down the road in the dead of night after a huge storm. Sounds fantastic." Tony smiled, but Steve knew him better than that. That was the smile of a man who smiled because that's what others expected of him. It was the smile of a man who was dying on the inside.\n\nThey had to [[try to get out of the house]] before it was too late. Scratches on Tony, Bucky's head, Tony up here without remembering how he got here... Nothing was adding up. Steve didn't want to see the body count get up any higher.\n

Bucky clung to Steve’s arm, his gaze darting all about the house as they worked their way downstairs. He thought he heard someone running above them as stood in the living room, waiting as Clint and Nat gently woke their friends up. \nHe sighed, a permanent pout against his lips. Hearing Clint suggest the house was haunted…it all was coming to life. The laughing outside, the doll, the water, the…person in the shower. Steve pressed a kiss to his forehead. He looked up with grateful, big eyes that pleaded for constant reassurance. \n“Everything’s going to be okay,” Steve said, sounding completely convinced. “We’re gonna leave.” \n“Please. I can’t stay in this house another fucking second,” Bucky whispered, nuzzling into Steve.\nTony was groaning, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Bucky was glad at least someone was able to find some shuteye amongst this. “What’s up? Morning already?” \n“No,” Clint replied. “This house is haunted and we’re leaving.”\n“Succinct and to the point,” Banner analyzed. “I like it.”\n“Woah, hold on wait. As a man who makes a living by science I call bullshit,” Tony challenged. “There’s no such thing.”\n\n“How do you know?” Bucky shot back. “Someone was in the bathroom with me, Tony! It wasn’t Steve!”\n\n“And someone held me under water to drown me,” Clint added.\n\n“And someone tried to drown me in the pond,” Steve commented, shifting to pull Bucky closer to him.\n\n“…And someone tried to freeze me to death,” Banner concluded. “Wanna tell me how that’s not a haunting, Tony?”\n\nTony stood up, pacing through the room. “Practical jokers. Those kids.”\n\n“The kids we never found?” Steve put in, his jaw clenching. “What about that doll that went missing?”\n\n“Kid took it with her,” Tony replied simply, shrugging. “Look, you’re all scared, I get it. But we need to be logical here. Ghosts don’t exist.”\n\n“Sure, you can stay here then,” Clint said as he moved to the coat closet. “I’m takin’ Nat and we’re getting the fuck out of here.” \n\n“And we’re leaving too,” Bucky said as he started to turn away.\n\nTony reached out, grabbing his wrist. Bucky looked down, seeing the hemp bracelet he’d made for Tony last Christmas. They often didn’t act like it, but when Bucky started dating Steve, that’s when Tony really became friends with Bucky. Tony became the person Bucky could confide in who would always offer objective viewpoints on what Bucky should do or say to get Steve to notice he liked him. They were the kinds of friends that would be there for each other in a second but never really acted like they were best friends around others. They just...knew.\n \n“This is your house, Buck,” Tony reminded. “You can’t just leave it.” \n\n“We can sell it,” Bucky stated. “We’ll just say we were house flippers or somethin’. I can’t stay here.” \n\nTony let go, nodding as he licked at his lips. “Okay let’s go.” \n\nThey gathered up their coats and keys, making their way outside. \n\n“Oh Jesus CHRIST! You’ve got to be shitting me!” Bucky shouted as he looked at all their cars. The windows were bashed in, the tires slashed and on Tony’s car sat the little white doll with the red around her neck. “I’m callin’ the fucking police,” Bucky grumbled. He pat his sweats down, realizing his phone was up in the bedroom. “Fuck, who has their phone.” \n\n“I do,” Bruce said. “I’ll call.”\n\n“Thank you,” Bucky whispered, feeling a small weight lift from his chest.\n \nHe looked up at the night sky, the rain had let up to a soft drizzle but it was still dark and the clouds obstructed the moon. He sat down on the porch swing, grumbling in frustration. “Fuck this shit, fuck this shit!” \n\n“Bucky,” Steve cooed, coming to sit beside him. Steve wrapped his arms around Bucky, pressing kisses to his head. “It’ll be okay. We’re together. We can get through this.” \n\n“Steve,” Bucky groaned, his eyes desperate. “Is this real? Is this really happening?”\n\nSteve bit his lip, looking away for a moment. “I don’t know, Buck. Maybe.”\n\n“I just wanted us to be happy,” Bucky whispered, dropping his face into Steve’s chest, listening to the rain pitter-patter against the ground. “I just wanted to adopt kids with you and watch you play football with them. Burn your dinner cause I suck at cooking and watch you try to tell me how good it is.” Tears welled in his eyes. He sniffed, pulling back to kiss Steve lightly. “I’m sorry.” \n\nSteve sighed, his eyes warm and sympathetic. He pressed his lips to Bucky’s, slipping his tongue out to trace it along Bucky’s bottom lip. “And you will. All of that.” \n\n“Police are on their way,” Bruce said, leaning in the doorway. “We, uh, what should we do?”\n\n“Stay together,” Steve instructed. “Eyes on every doorway. We’ll stay in the parlor. It’s got windows but we can keep near the fireplace.”\n\n“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Bucky ventured. “Fireplace means fire and if we’re really dealing with a ghost…I honestly don’t wanna see someone go up in flames.” \n\n“What do you suggest?” Tony asked, sitting on the porch railing. “The basement? Oh sure, they won’t even have to bury us then.”\n\n“That’s not funny, Anthony,” Bucky chastised. “Just stay in the foyer. We’ve got enough eyes to look above and around.”\n\n“That’s a lot of looking around though,” Steve replied. “I’d rather we have our backs pressed up to something instead of nothing.” \n\n[[Foyer]] [[Parlor]]\n

“Lemme do it,” Bucky ordered, setting his jaw. “Imma beat this fucker for freaking us all out.”\n\nBucky moved back, angling his shoulder just right and lunged against the door. It cracked under his weight and the handle went loose. He opened the door, peering into the blackness. “Clint?”\n\nSteve pulled out a lighter and flicked it on, yelping and stumbling back against the wall. “No! No! Fuck no!”\n\nBucky stared, his heart slowing to a slow pulse as a darkened form came into view. Breathing shakily, Bucky stepped into the room, moving around the body that was slumped over the bathtub, face still below the water. “Clint? Clint this isn’t funny.”\n\n“Oh my God, he’s not breathing!” Tony said desperately.\n\n“We don’t know that,” Bucky replied, almost numb. This was part of his job. He'd seen plenty of dead bodies or near-dead. Clint...he couldn't... “Steve, go stay with Nat.”\n\n“What?” \n\n“Go!” Bucky snapped as he stared his husband down. “We’ve got this.”\n\n“Bucky,” Steve whined. “Is he dead? What do I tell her?”\n\nBucky could hear Bruce out in the hall with Nat, trying to talk her down. It wouldn’t make much of a difference whatever Steve said. She’d know soon enough. \n\nBucky sighed through his nose, watching his husband’s chest rise and fall in sharp, uneven rhythms. “Go to Nat, sweetheart.” \n\nTony held his phone over the water for Bucky to see. He was unusually quiet.\n\nTears were streaming from Steve’s eyes. He brushed at them frantically, his nails sweeping against his skin, raising red lines atop it.\n\n"Step back, Steve," Tony said. They could all hear Natasha and Bruce in the hall. She was crying.\n\nBucky moved closer, pulling Clint’s face from the water. His eyes were open, round and frightened. Bucky blinked back tears, taking in a deep breath. He slid against the wall, pulling Clint into his chest. “Oh my God,” he whispered, stroking Clint’s hair. “Oh my God, Clint.” \n\nThere was nothing he could do. His friend’s pulse was gone, eyes staring blankly at nothing. Bucky reached for Clint's wrist and checked for a pulse again. Nothing. Pressed on his throat, nothing. He splayed Clint on the floor, pushing his lips to Clint's and breathing out. He pushed on the chest, going through the motions of CPR. Tony touched his shoulder to stop him.\n\n"He's gone, Bucky."\n\n“Clint, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” Bucky cried, burying his face into his friend’s shoulder as he rocked him back and forth. \n\nTony made some kind of sound. His flashlight was trembling. Bucky could only assume so was his body.\n\n“Nat! Wait! Wa— Bucky! Bucky, Nat’s coming!” Steve called down the hall.\n\nBucky heard the pounding feet against the floor. She grabbed at the doorframe, looking down.\n \nBucky’s heart squeezed as he looked at her face, her mouth slowly dropping open, eyes contorting from their usual smoldering gaze to strained, shattered and horrified.\n\n“No,” she whispered. “No, no, no, no.” She pushed her hands against her face, her lip quivering. “NO! NO, NO, NO!” She dropped to the floor, crawling over to Clint. “Clint, baby. Clint look at me!” She pleaded as she pulled Clint into her arms. She placed her fingers on his lids, closing them. “No! Oh God, no!”\n\nSteve and Bruce stood in the doorway. tears streamed from Steve’s eyes.\n\nBucky turned to look at the tub. The water was muddy. He knew who’d done this. “She did this. Do any of you believe me yet?”\n\nNat sobbed, her breathing rigid. “Y-you think? Oh my God!” She dropped her face against Clint’s howling out her misery. Her fingers clenched against Clint’s chest, quivering as they tugged against the wet fabric of his shirt.\n\n“A little girl couldn’t overpower Clint,” Bruce said. “Bucky may—he may be right.”\n\nSteve pressed his fingers to his face, walking in circles in the hall before the door. “So what, she’s gonna kill all of us?” \n\n“I don’t think so,” Bucky said, remembering her haunting words. “Some.”\n\n“This can’t be real,” Tony said. “Ghosts aren’t real. Science—”\n\n“Science doesn’t deny ghosts, Tony,” Bruce said. “We should stick together. Wait for the cops to arrive.”\n\nBucky stood up, sighing heavily. This was a crime scene now. How would police hold up against a ghost?\n \nBucky walked from the small bathroom, stepping over Natasha and Clint’s body. He winced, hating how his mind already was seeing Clint as a corpse and not as a person. His mind learned long ago that corpses were no longer people. His job had hardened him to it. “We need to all stick together.”\n\nSteve swallowed dryly, his eyes still glossy. “I’m scared.”\n\nBucky cupped Steve’s face, placing a soft kiss against his tear-stained cheeks. “Me too.” Down-to-the-bone-horrified.\n\n“We should leave,” Steve suggested. “Leave before someone else gets killed.”\n\n“No,” Natasha answered. “I won’t leave Clint behind.” She caressed her fingers against her husband’s face, her lips twitching. “This is a crime scene right? I can’t take his body.”\n“No,” Bucky said. “That would be tampering with evidence. We’ve already messed with it enough.”\n\n“Bucky,” Steve scolded. “Tampering with evidence? That’s her husband!”\n\n“Was her husband,” Bucky shot back softly. “And we’ve got a killer in our house, Steve. Or a ghost—or something!” \n\n“I wanna get the little bitch,” Nat said with a menacing tone, “I wanna make her pay.”\n\nBoth Bucky and Steve shared a concerned look. Bucky sighed, crossing his arms. “That’s murder.”\n\nNatasha looked up, her eyes disconnected and dull. “Do you think I care right now?”\n\nThere was a knock downstairs. Bucky swallowed roughly. “Police?”\n\n“Pray to God,” Steve said.\n\n[[greet the cops]]\n

Steve opened the door, everyone’s faces peering out into the night’s rain. An officer stood there, cocking a brow as he looked at everyone.\n\n“Evening.”\n\n“Evening officer,” Steve said. “I’m Steve Rogers and this is my house. I’m part of the NYPD, but we’ve had some issues with a girl.”\n\nThe officer visibly relaxed. “A girl?”\n\n“She ain’t just a girl!” Clint shouted. “She’s crazy! She tried to drown me and she bashed Bucky’s face in! Look!” Clint tugged Bucky to the front, showing off his bandaged head.\nBucky hissed, yanking away in irritation. He looked between Steve and the officer. A single cop wasn’t going to do shit against a ghost. A fucking ghost. Bucky was downright terrified, but he still couldn’t believe it. A fucking ghost! \n\n“So you were assaulted?” the officer, Rumlow, (Bucky saw it stitched into his breast) said. “May I come in?”\n\n“Sure.” Steve moved out of the way, ushering the man inside. The group stepped back and the door slammed shut. Bucky winced. Steve hadn’t closed the door… \n\nWhile they went into the living room with Rumlow, Bucky tried to open the door. The handle was ice cold and it wouldn’t budge. “No…” He yanked on it again. Frantic, he kept yanking. His shoulders burned, his heart was up in his throat. Yanking. Yanking. \n\n“Bucky.” Natasha put a hand on his shoulder. \n\n“It won’t open.” He stepped back, letting Natasha try. Casually, she opened the door, blinking. “But… I just.” \n\n“It’s okay, Bucky.” Her eyes were large and sympathetic. “You were turning it wrong. C’mon. Let’s go talk to the police officer.” \n\nBucky let Natasha lead him away, but he couldn’t take his gaze off the door. It was closed, trapping him inside. Part of him feared that he’d never leave this house again. \nHe snuggled up to Steve, resting his head against the man’s shoulder. Steve put a hand around his waist, casual, as he spoke to the officer. He relayed the story of the night easily, trying his best to sound authoritative despite his own nervousness. Rumlow nodded slowly, his gaze flicking back and forth between the couple. Bucky wondered if he thought less of them for this. A gay cop? Bucky was in blood pathology, but he’d even been a victim of a few snide comments in the break room. \n\n“Can I get your statement?” \n\nBucky felt Steve squeeze his waist. He blinked, looking up. “What?”\n\n“I need your statement.” \n\n“Oh—yeah. Sorry.” \n\n“He’s a little woozy from his head.” Steve smiled, like it was funny. It wasn’t funny. Nothing was funny. Bucky looked to the front door again. It taunted him. He wanted to try to open it again… “Bucky, tell ‘im your story.”\n\nThe room was silent. Bucky chewed his bottom lip, staring at the officer’s shoes. He’d been nice so far. “I was upstairs—alone. Was changin’ outta some wet clothes cause we went lookin’ for her outside—the uh, the girl.” \n\nRumlow just jotted down notes casually. \n\n“Someone sounded like Steve in the bathroom, so I went to go help him. But no one was there.”\n\nThat’s when Rumlow stopped writing. He looked up, watching Bucky.\n\n“I know I sound crazy. I ain’t crazy. I’m a goddamn blood pathologist. I’ve got a PhD in criminal forensics. I ain’t crazy.” \n\n“It’s okay, Bucky,” Steve said, kissing his cheek. \n\n“I never said you were,” Rumlow said. Bucky watched his pen though—still unclicked. Bucky lost him the second he brought up the supernatural. Cops never believed this shit. Bucky knew that. He was part of a police force. A science guy, but still part of it. \n\n“I looked into the shower to see if Steve was there, cause he was askin’ for help. No one. Someone pushed me from behind and bashed my face into the tile. I turned and saw a little girl with lily pads in her hair. She was all wet.” \n\n“Lily pads in her hair.” Rumlow still didn’t click his pen again. \n\nBucky sighed. “I’m not crazy.” \n\n“Someone pushed my head under the water in the bathtub upstairs,” Clint said. Bucky would’ve smiled if he had the energy. Clint was saving him. “I thought I was gonna die. When Steve busted the door down, no one was there but us. But I felt someone holding me under.” \n\nRumlow still didn’t click his pen again. Bucky closed his eyes. He didn’t believe them. \n\n“So you’re sayin’ it was ghosts?”\n\nTony scoffed. “Or something.”\n\nRumlow stared at him. “But ghosts. You want me to believe some ghost is in here? And that I can do something about it?” \n\n“We just want to make sure no one’s in the house,” Nat said, her stare heavy. “That’s all.” \n\n“Alright.” Rumlow closed his notepad. “I’ll sweep the house. Stay together and don’t leave. I need statements from all of you.” \n\n“They had nothing to do with my head,” Bucky said. He knew exactly what this guy was thinking. A ton of adults in a house. Someone was playing with the others—it was a classic move, except Bucky knew these people. They were his found family. Thicker than the blood ties to his own biological one. None of them would hurt each other. He looked at Steve, biting his lip. Would they? A cold chill ran down Bucky’s spine. \n\n“I still need statements.” Rumlow’s voice was gruff, resigned. He was humoring them at this point. “I’ll be back.” He took out a flashlight and made his way toward the stairs. \n\n“Think he’ll find anything?” Nat asked.\n\n“Absolutely not,” Bruce said. “Absolutely nothing.” \n\n“You’re not crazy,” Steve said as he ushered Bucky over to the sofa. “I believe you.” \n\n“We need to leave, Steve.” Bucky grabbed Steve’s hands, kissing his knuckles. “Now.” \n\nSteve nodded. “Maybe.” \n\nBucky was about to argue when they heard a crash upstairs, followed by a bloodcurdling scream. Bucky wanted to [[dart upstairs]] but he stared at the kitchen door. Maybe he could [[get the hell out of here]]. \n

“I got this!” Steve said, hobbling forward. “Get to the damn pond!”\n\n“NO! STEVE YOU CAN’T” Bucky shouted. He watched in horror as Steve moved as fast as he could toward the girl. The zombie girl moved fast, like a spider. “STEVE!” \n\n“GET TO THE POND!” Steve screamed. He turned to the zombie, balling his fists up.\n\n“NO!” Bucky watched as she climbed atop Steve, biting and snarling down at him. Her fingers turned to talons and she screamed like a banshee, blood and saliva dripping onto Steve’s face. Bucky was almost there when Tony grabbed him by the waist.\n\n“WE HAVE TO DO THIS, BARNES!” He pushed Bucky backward, toward the pond. "Nat and Clint'll save him!" \n \n“STEVE!” Bucky screamed, eyes wet. \n\n“LET’S MOVE!” Tony said urgently.\n\nBucky turned, tears streaming from his eyes. Natasha was kicking the zombie, Clint was throwing rocks at her. Bucky just had to hope that'd be enough. Bruce was already in the pond, sloshing and diving under and tossing mud up. The book was abandoned on the side. \n\nBucky turned to look at Steve. He’d die… If this didn’t work, if nothing was there… Then Steve would die for nothing. \n\nBucky dove into the water, grabbing at the bottom of the dark pond’s muddy waters. He gasped, coming back up. Tony was tossing rocks at the zombie girl. She’d scream at him, batting them away. \n\n“Keep digging!” Bruce called.\n\nBucky went under again. It was almost peaceful, cool beneath the waters. He could hear Bruce moving too, but the world wasn’t so urgent under here. He wished he could just slip to the bottom and die. It wouldn’t be so bad a way to go—better than the way his husband was… \n\nHe screamed into the water, reaching out and clawing at the pit of the pond. Something sharp cut him and he tugged it out. It looked like a simple steak knife. He tossed it to the side, diving back under. When he reached out again, something slimy and fleshy was in his hand. He opened his eyes, startling when he saw the decaying body of the girl who probably died here. She looked just like the zombie girl. \n\nHe pulled the body out, groaning. Skin slipped off it, bone shining into the sky like a diamond. \n\n“Cut her heart out!” Bruce yelled, moving through the pond toward the shore. “That’s step one!” \n\nBucky grabbed the steak knife. He wouldn’t question its placement. It looked old—maybe from when the house was built. One of the workers perhaps. He stabbed into the girl, panicking when water and goo sloshed out. “There’s—uh—there’s no heart!” \n\nBruce grabbed the knife. “It’s decayed. Keep slashing.” Bruce wielded the knife like a hunter skinned a deer. He drew the blade over the girl, hacking her front to pieces. More and more water spilled from her.\n\nThe zombie girl started shrieking. Tony was throwing sticks at her now. Bucky wanted to laugh. He was too afraid to get close, but at least he was trying to help Steve. Her body caved in on itself. Steve scrambled away, his shirt torn open and bloody. Natasha grabbed Steve, pulling him into her arms to look him over. Clint stomped over the zombie's remains, over and over again.\n\nBucky ran, listening to the vicious sounds of bones snapping and the girl’s last mangled screams. He fell next to Steve, pulling his husband from Natasha and into his lap. \n\nSteve laughed, then coughed. He furrowed his brow, gasping. “That’s not somethin’ I ever wanna do again.” \n\n“No,” Bucky said, kissing Steve’s face, over and over. “I hope you never have to. God, you were so damn brave.” \n\n"That's me," Steve said. "Brave and stupid." \n\n"We had it handled." Natasha kissed Clint, smiling at him. \n\nBucky laughed, kissing Steve, sucking those pretty red lips into his mouth and making sure that Steve knew who he beloged to. That they belonged to each other.\n\n“What now?” Tony asked. “He okay?”\n\n“Yeah,” Bucky said through a smile, resting his forehead on Steve's. Steve was cupping his face, stroking the curve of his jaw. “Yeah he’s okay.” They kissed again, brief and too chaste but it wasn’t over yet. \n\nBruce had the book again, sopping wet and muddy. He was paging through, his eyes scanning over it like a machine analyzed data. “Fuck I wish I read it fluently. I think we—”\n\n“You have two options,” a voice said. \n\nA dark shadow appeared. Ethereal gray bodies of several people showed up, faceless. “Add to my collection willingly, or you’ll wish you’d given your lives willingly.”\n\n“That doesn’t sound like much of a choice,” Steve said. He rolled out of Bucky’s arms to stand on his own. Jaw raised proudly, he balled his hands into fists, staring. “We’re not afraid anymore.” \n\n“Is that so?” The shadow moved closer. “You smell of fear.” \n\nSteve’s lip twitched. It was enough for Bucky to know he was downright terrified. \n\n“I need only lovers,” the shadow spoke. “I get what I want, and I leave you forever.” \n\n“That’s us,” Bucky said. “So we go peacefully and it doesn’t hurt?” \n\nThe shadow laughed. “You’re not the only lovers.” \n\n"You can't have Clint and Nat." Bucky stepped forward, glaring.\n\n"And they're not even the only lovers..." \n\n“Oh,” Bucky looked to Bruce and Tony, “oh my God…”\n\n“But Pepper?” Steve asked, stepping back awkwardly. \n\n“She doesn’t know…” Tony admitted. He let out a shaky breath. \n\n“[[Choose the other pairs]] or [[you and Steve]].”\n\n

“Be careful, doll,” Bucky instructed, brows pulling together. “And don’t break the door too much.”\n\nSteve laughed dryly before lunging into the door. The handle broke off and Steve was able to reach inside and pull it open. “Oh my God! Guys, help!”\n\nBucky ran in behind Steve, seeing Clint trying to pull himself away from the full tub. Water sloshed around the bathroom but no matter how much Clint tugged it seemed that something was holding him down. \n\n“Jesus, fuck.” Tony stood horror-stricken.\n\nSteve went to one side, dipping his hands in and trying to pull Clint up. “W- I can’t! Something’s—something’s wrong!”\n\nBucky jumped into the bathtub, kneeling and pushing Clint up from the underside as his body started to slow from lack of oxygen. Bucky pulled him up, listening to the gurgling and choking. \n“Tony!” Steve called. “Tony help now!”\n\nTony darted to the tub, reaching in and pulling at Clint when they finally got him above water. Bruce and Nat stood at the door, eyes round. Bruce held onto Nat. \n\nBucky scrambled from the tub, body soaked as he patted against Clint’s back to help him cough the water out. \n\n“Oh my God!” Natasha exclaimed, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. “What happened?!” \n\nSteve was running a comforting hand up and down Clint’s arm. \n\nBucky was breathing erratically. That girl. Did she do this? He looked back at the tub, watching the water slosh lazily as it settled. He reached in, yanking the chain out and let it drain. \n\n“I was taking a leak,” Clint explained raggedly. He coughed again. “Suddenly the tub was full and I was being shoved into it. God, I thought I was gonna die.”\n\n“Steve,” Bucky breathed out. “The girl. I told you all she wasn’t normal.”\n\n“Consider me convinced!” Clint gasped before coughing again. Natasha slipped into the room, blanketing her arms around Clint and pulling his head to her chest.\n\nSteve moved out into the hall to accommodate for the amount of bodies. “At least we’re all okay.”\n\n“For now. Who’s next, Steve?” Natasha asked, her eyes narrowed, mouth open. She stroked her fingers though Clint’s wet hair, flicking water droplets off the spikes.\n\n“No one is next.” Steve ran his fingers through his hair. “We stick together. We’ve got weapons. We’ll be okay.”\n\n“You think the cops are gonna save us?” Tony asked. “We need a priest.”\n\n “Think any priests are makin’ house calls this late at night?” Clint asked. “I agree with Bucky. There’s a ghost in this house.”\n\nHearing it out loud and from someone else’s mouth made Bucky press himself against the wall, gasping. Ghosts… spirits. Otherworldly beings. He hated horror movies because there was no control over the outcome. If a ghost wanted you dead, you died. His nerves chilled, stilling his body as he looked up to Steve, waiting for him to respond. At least he wasn’t crazy. He could fully believe in this now.\n\nEveryone jumped when they heard someone knocking at the door. \n\n“It’s just the cops,” Tony said. “C’mon.”\n\n[[greet the cop]]\n

Bucky tried to ignore the sound, reaching for the glovebox. Someone cleared their throat and Bucky nearly jumped out of his skin. He shrieked, smacking his hip on the horn and the car honked. \n\n“REALLY BARNES!” Tony shouted. \n\nBucky finally turned. He saw Bruce and Tony, tangled into each other and looking worse for wear. Tony’s outfit was shredded, like he’d tried to hug a tiger. Bruce had a bloody lip.\n“SORRY!”\n\n“Keep your voice down,” Tony whispered, looking out a corner of the car window and completely ignoring that he just shouted too. “They’re in there. The—the girl attacked us.”\n\n“I don’t think that’s her. I think that’s her body.” Bucky grabbed the rosary and slunk back out the car. “We’re out here.”\n\n“Oh gross, her body.” They followed Bucky out, everyone creeping back into the treeline. \n\n“You know it knows we’re here, right?” Bruce said. “It’s a ghost. It knows all its property.” \n\n“How do you know?” Tony asked. “You a ghost expert suddenly?”\n\n“Guys,” Steve cut in. “This ain’t the time.” \n\n“Oh sure, how about when the ghost is skinning our organs out with a cheese grater!” \n\nSteve rolled his eyes.\n\n“Tony!” Bucky snipped. “Okay, rosary. Do you guys have any salt?”\n\nThey shook their heads. \n\n“Damn.” Bucky shivered. His pants were freezing cold, soaking into his skin. He was sure his ankles were swelling. “Okay, what do we know so far?”\n\n“The dad went crazy and killed everyone,” Steve said. “That’s all.”\n\n“The mom’s still alive,” Tony said. “She’s in a psych ward.” \n\n“Do you think we could? I mean—talk to her?” Bucky asked. \n\n“Bucky,” Steve said sorrowfully. “This thing’s after us and it’s after us now.” \n\n“It killed Nat,” Bruce said, wiping his eyes. “Jesus.” \n\n“So what do we do?” Bucky asked.\n\nSteve smirked, nodding. “Do you trust me?” \n\nBucky felt a cold pull in his stomach. He looked back at the house, then at Steve. He’d trusted him this far. He was alive because he did. But the girl said… choices mattered. \n\n“What’re ya gonna do?” Bucky asked. \n\nSteve’s smile only widened. “Do you trust me?” \n\nBucky swallowed. Did he [[trust Steve]]? Or did he [[not?]]\n

L1av

“Let’s just try the foyer. We’ll stick to it till the police come and then we leave,” Nat offered. “We can keep our backs to each other all eyes all around.” \n\nSteve sighed heavily, clearly not fond of the plan. “Fine. But we should get things to protect ourselves.”\n\n“Like what? What can protect us from ghosts?”\n\n“Salt,” Tony said. “Crosses. Garlic? Oh wait, that’s vampires. But I’d wager you all believe in those now too?”\n\n“Tony,” Bucky hissed. “Really? Look, we’re not asking you to believe us. Just help us. Or you can sit by yourself.”\n\n“I may just do that,” Tony replied.\n\nSteve stood up, moving into Tony’s personal space. “What’re you doing, Tony?” Steve asked. Their noses were barely touching. Bucky’s mouth dropped open as he watched them puff up their chests and clench their fists. \n\n“I’m being logical.” \n\n“What the fuck is all this then?” Steve asked, pointing to the broken cars. \n\n“Kids. Pranks.”\n\n“This is an expensive prank,” Bruce mumbled. \n\n“Look, I’ll help out! I’ll go along with this but you can’t expect me to believe something science has not told me exists!”\n\n“Steve,” Bucky whispered, moving to grab his husband’s hand. “Let it go.”\n\nSteve glared at Tony one last time before tearing off into the house. “Weapons. Now.” \n\nThey rummaged through the hall closet for some bats. Bruce actually did go into the kitchen and grab some salt (“I’m curious!”). \n\nThey all sat down in a circle, everyone looking at a designated point. Bucky’s eyes were on the parlor. It was dark but some of the night’s choked light managed to reflect off the marble fireplace. He took in a deep breath, gripping his bat a bit tighter. \n\nSteve slunk his fingers into Bucky’s. They laced their fingers together, each staring at the area they were designated to. \n\n“So we’re really gonna sit like this all night?” Tony provoked. “All fucking night.”\n\n“Shut up, Tony,” Steve hissed. “You don’t like it, you can leave.”\n\n“Fine. I will. I’ll grab your bed and sleep on it.” \n\n“Tony wait! Please!” Bucky urged, his eyes crinkling from urgency. “Please stay.” \n\nTony shrugged. “I’m proving a point. It was a shitty prank, but it was just a prank.” \n\n“God damn it,” Clint groaned under his breath. “We should go after him.”\n\n“I’ll go,” Bruce offered, moving to stand up.\n\n“No,” Steve said. “Let him prove his point.” \n\n“Steve,” Bucky gasped, staring at the blond. “He could die.” \n\nSteve furrowed his brow, clearly locked in a heated battle with himself. His chest rose and fell. Bucky reached out, pressing his hand against Steve’s sternum. \n\n“He could die, Steve,” Bucky said again. “We should bring him back.”\n\n[[POV Switch Bring Him Back]] [[POV Switch Let him be]]\n

“Oh fuck me,” Steve breathed out, wetting his lips, “over the car, over the fucking car.” \n\nBucky smiled darkly, tugging Steve’s pants off entirely and dropping them to the side. He stood up, catching Steve’s mouth with his. Their tongues swirled around each other, lips twisting and teeth clattering. Bucky rolled his hips into Steve, pushing his hardening cock against his husband. His fingers caressed at Steve's jaw, and it was enough to get Steve whimpering.\n\n “Jerk me off a bit?” More light kisses against Steve's neck. “Don’t got no lube.”\n\nSteve reached down, tilting his head to catch Bucky’s lips in his. He slipped his hand into Bucky’s pants, curling his fingers around Bucky and pumping slowly. He teased at the slit, circling the pad of his finger against it.\n\nBucky moaned into Steve's mouth, grinding hard against his body, pushing them harder against the car. \n\n“I don’t care,” Steve nipped Bucky's nose, “just use a lot of spit?”\n\nBucky nodded, pushing his wet mouth against Steve’s again.\n\nSteve palmed at Bucky’s cock, circling his hand over the tip and using his fingers to pull at the length, twisting them around.\n\n“Ah, sweet baby fuckin' Jesus you’re beautiful, Stevie,” Bucky gasped. “Turn around, spread your legs.” \n\nSteve did as Bucky asked. They moved with a sense of urgency, both knowing that at any moment someone could come out and find them or that girl could come back… \n\nSteve felt Bucky smack between his thighs. “Ow!”\n\n“Spread ‘em!” Bucky's laughter earned a dramatic eye roll from Steve.\n\nSteve leaned over the car, spreading his legs wider. He took in a deep breath, palming the car. The metal was slick from rain and cold.\n\nBucky wasted no time in slipping his tongue between Steve’s cheeks. He lapped at Steve’s hole, sucking loudly against it as his hand lazily went up to play with Steve’s balls.\n\n“Oh, yes, baby!” Steve dropped his head forward, pressing his face into the hood of the car. “Mmhmmm f-fuck.”\n\nBucky swirled his tongue around the rim, poking it in softly but taking it right back out like the tease he was. \n\nSteve’s muscles twitched with anticipation. His cock was hard, trobbing and pressed up against the cool metal of the car. He rocked his hips, feeling the tip drag against it. “Ah…ah…fuck…”\n\nBucky slipped his tongue inside, rolling it against Steve’s muscles, slicking them up with saliva. He pushed Steve’s ass cheeks further apart, getting his face further up to move his tongue more.\n\nSteve threw his head back, moaning loudly as he rocked back on Bucky’s face. \n\nBucky’s nose was against his tailbone but his chin glazed against his perineum. The stubble felt delightful against Steve, making him shiver and shake. \n\n“Bucky more, more baby. Oh God more, more,” Steve panted, rolling his face against the car hood. \n\nBucky grabbed at Steve’s cheeks, pushing his face firmer against Steve’s ass. He flattened his tongue inside, lulling it forcefully against Steve’s insides. He hooked his tongue, pulling it out with a tiny pop before plunging back in. \n\nSteve could feel how wet Bucky was making him. His ass cheeks felt cold as saliva cooled against them but Bucky’s mouth was hot and his breathing moist and ragged. He continued to rock back into Bucky, moaning and whimpering when Bucky’s tongue would swirl around the rim again. “Cock,” Steve gasped. “Gimme your cock, gimme it, oh God, please gimme it.”\n\nBucky stood up, smacking Steve’s ass sharply. \n\nSteve tensed from the sting, looking over his shoulder as Bucky pulled himself out of his briefs. He licked his lips, watching Bucky spit onto his hand and work the saliva over his length. “Wait.”\n\nBucky cocked a brow, watching as Steve dropped to his knees and took Bucky into his mouth. “Oh fuck, Steve!” \n\nSteve sucked quickly, twirling his tongue around Bucky’s thick cock. He braced himself against Bucky’s hips, pumping his head back and forth, looking up to see Bucky’s head dropping back as he groaned in pleasure. He dropped Bucky, letting his dick smack wetly against his thigh. “Fuck me with it now.”\n\nBucky laughed, but he let Steve turn back around and arch his back, revealing that pink warm hole. He lined up, pushing his cockhead in. \n\nSteve’s muscles clenched around the intrusion and he hissed out in discomfort. \n\n“You okay?” Bucky asked, wrapping his arms around Steve’s chest to finger at his nipples. “Wanna stop?”\n\n“Oh fuck you, I can take it,” Steve growled as he pushed back against Bucky’s cock. “Fill me up, make me yours.”\n\n“You’re already mine,” Bucky reminded him. He slipped further inside, rolling his hips up and slidding a bit more in. “Oh fuck Stevie…so good for me, doll.”\n\nSteve arched his back, dropping his head against his back as he looked up at the stars in the sky. “Nice night,” he laughed.\n\n“Oh fuck off,” Bucky grumbled as he shoved himself entirely in Steve.\n\nSteve yelped, feeling his muscles tremble around Bucky’s girth. “God, Buck…so good…pound into me, baby. Fucking wreck me.” \n\nBucky laughed, running his hand down Steve’s spine. “I love when you get all impatient.” \n\n“Fuck. Me,” Steve growled again. \n\nBucky wasted no time. He snapped his hips back and forth, pushing his cock further into Steve with each thrust. \n\nSteve bounced off the car, rocking his ass into Bucky, reveling in the way they shook the car back and forth. He grabbed at the hood, dropping his head against it. “Mmmm, fuck…more…more baby,” he moaned. \n\nBucky thrusted harder, back and forth into Steve, snapping his hips up to push his tip against Steve’s prostate.\n\nSteve saw flashes of white with each urgent snap of Bucky’s hips. “Ah…ah…ah…ah!” he gasped with each push against his prostate. “Bucky…fuck…fuck…fuck…”\n\nBucky grunted, animalistic and low in his throat. He rocked into Steve, pushing the car back and forth, sweat chilling against his skin. \n\nSteve needed this. Everything had been so tense, from the move to the girl… Things were happening that he didn’t really understand and this just felt right. Bucky’s body so warm against him–in him. He shoved his ass back against Bucky, crying out as heat rose in his stomach, starting at the pit and rising to his sternum. He shook from the nip in the air, the ferocity of Bucky’s thrusts and the excitement of knowing at any moment they could be caught. \n\n“Oh…B-Bucky…I’m coming, Bucky…fuck…fuck I love you and that fucking…ah…ah!” Steve moved to wrap his fingers around his dick, stroking himself as fast as he could, thumb moving in fast circles up and down his shaft as his orgasm pushed out from his balls and onto the car. He laughed, breathless and in so much euphoria as his muscles melted beneath Bucky’s urgent thrusts. \n\nHis muscles clenched around Bucky, locking him inside, pulling him deeper as his orgasm rippled through his body, making his knees turn to jelly and his spine curve. \n\nBucky moved to grab the back of Steve’s neck, pumping faster into Steve. “Oh fuck, doll…fuck…fuck…me too!”\n\nSteve felt Bucky’s seed enter him, hot and wet. He rocked back on Bucky, making sure to let his muscles squeeze and relax as quickly as he could make them, giving Bucky the pleasure his perfect body deserved.\n\nThey fell to the dirt driveway, raggedly breathing. Turning to each other, they both started giggling. “Oh my God, we just did that!” Steve laughed as he dropped his head into Bucky’s chest. “We’re fucking teenagers again.”\n\nBucky chest rumbled with his laughter. He ran his fingers through Steve’s hair, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Quick n’ dirty. Just like old times.”\n\nSteve sniffed, shifting closer to Bucky’s body for warmth. “Where’re my pants?” \n\nBucky looked around, his eyes suddenly confused. “Uh…I dropped them right there?”\n\nSteve looked to where he was pointing. “I don’t see them, Buck. Seriously, where’re my pants.”\n\n“I put them right there!” Bucky protested. \n\n“Well go find them! I can’t go back inside like this!”\n\nHuffing, Bucky stood up, tucking himself back into his pants. He looked around the car and peeked his head under it. “I don’t see them, Steve.”\n\n“Well they couldn’t have just…” Steve’s eyes rounded as his brain stumbled upon the only logical conclusion. “That girl.”\n\nBucky’s mouth dropped open, his chest still rising and falling as he caught his breath. “Fuckin’ seriously? We’re were… Oh my God.” He scrubbed his hands over his face, groaning. \n\nSteve stood up, covering his flaccid cock, wincing as Bucky’s seed seeped from his ass. “I need to get into the bathroom.” \n\n“I can’t believe this!” Bucky continued. “How’d she get that close and we didn’t even see her?”\n\n“I don’t know, baby!” Steve snapped back. “But I need to go back in.”\n\nBucky’s eyes softened as he nodded slowly. “Yeah. Yeah okay.”\n\nAs they were walking, they heard someone running at them, getting closer.\n\nSteve moved to get behind Bucky in a desperate attempt to cover his naked lower half. \n\n“What the fuck?” Bucky gasped his gaze frantically looking about the yard. “You heard that right?”\n\n“Yeah,” Steve whispered. “Let’s just get the fuck inside.” Steve wasn’t one to be scared, but having his ass hanging out made him feel moderately vulnerable. Too much was happening tonight. Too much he couldn’t figure out and right now, all he wanted to do was share a beer with his friends and then go to sleep with Bucky. Maybe even fuck him later. \nTogether they turned to [[just go back inside]].

She tilted her head, her face dissapearing briefly to reveal a hollow skull before it flashed back again. Bucky gasped, feeling the cold water slip down his jaw. "He's gonna kill you." She smiled menacingly. "And you can't stop it."\n\n"What?" Bucky gasped. He shifted, trying to sit up. In that brief moment he'd looked away, she'd simply vanished. His vision blurred and he reached up, turning the water off.\n\nBucky couldn't take this anymore. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest, he was soaked and shivering and he had a desperate need to tell Steve that everything they were suspecting was true...\n\nGhost were real. Ghosts were very real and they were here... And they'd killed Bruce. Someone was trying to kill them.\n\nBucky ran from the room, whimpering along the hallway as someone kept whispering in his ear, "He's gonna kill you, he's gonna kill you!"\n\nHe tumbled down the last few steps, scampering up and running into the living room.\n\n"Bucky!" Steve ran to him, his hands hovering like bees that begged to do something, but unsure what. "Baby, are you okay? You're soaked!"\n\nBucky looked down at himself. Water still streamed down his body. "N-no. Steve, Steve that girl, she's not a girl. I saw her! She's a fuckin' ghost! I swear to fuckin' God, baby she's a fuckin' ghost!" He collapsed into Steve's arms, sobbing into his husband's shoulder. "She's real. Oh my God, she's real."\n\n"What?" Natasha marched up to them. Her face was red and splotchy from crying. "What the fuck kind of sick joke is this, Bucky?!"\n\n"IT'S NOT A JOKE!" Bucky screamed. "I FUCKIN' SAW HER!"\n\nSomething creaked above them, followed by a loud shattering. \n\nClint grabbed Natasha, wrapping his arms around her as she gasped breathlessly into the air. \n\n"The cops comin'?" Clint asked. \n\n"We need to go," Bucky said. "We need to fuckin' go."\n\n"WE CAN'T LEAVE BRUCE!" shouted Tony. He was panting and his eyes were red. He looked more like a murderer than a friend. "I won't leave him."\n\n"Fuck you, Stark!" Bucky wailed. "He's dead! We'll get his body tomorrow!" \n\n"Steve," Tony began. "Don't do this. Ghosts aren't real. Bucky's just scared."\n\nSteve hovered there, staring at Bucky and then looking back to Tony. "We should...we should protect ourselves. We can't leave, baby," Steve said, turning to Bucky. "But we can protect ourselves." \n\n"Why the FUCK can't we leave," Bucky growled. "Doll baby, please! Please don't do this to me! She bashed my head into the wall, please don't do this!" He was tugging at Steve's arm, trying desperately to convince Steve. "Please, please, please, baby, please." \n\nSteve sighed, looking around. "We should protect ourselves. We can bunker down with bats in the parlor."\n\n"Bats against a ghost, Steve?" Clint shook his head. "Seriously?"\n\n"We could get salt?" Natasha said. "Always works on Supernatural. And we should clean up Bucky's head."\n\n"Fine," Steve said. "Salt and bats. I'm not takin' any chances in case someone's just fucking with us."\n\n"Bruce is DEAD!" Tony shouted. "And you wanna play ghosthunter? There is no such thing!" \n\n"Tony," Steve pleaded. His eyes were shining in the light, wet with tears he was probably trying so hard not to shed. Steve never did like crying. "We'll stay till the police arrive and then we leave."\n\nTony huffed, his nostrils flaring. "Whatever."\n\n[[Hunker down in the parlor with bats and salt]].

Bucky stood where he could see Clint in the window. Clint was shrugging by the time Steve caught up, feeling soaked from the rain. There was no girl.\n\n“C’mon,” Bucky said over the rain. “Let’s keep looking! She may be lost in the rain.”\n\nThey looked around the front yard, Bucky stuck to the hedges while Steve ventured around the cars. The sky was flashing lightning and the only things around were trees, a few random boxes that had really nothing in them and the cars. Those boxes were soaked.\n\n“Check under the cars with me, baby?” Steve suggested. \n\nBucky looked under the cars while Steve walked around them, peeking in boxes and scanning the trees. No one seemed to be out here. Steve couldn't shake that feeling of fingers pressing against his skin, pulling it and prodding.\n\n“Nothing,” Bucky commented. \n\n“Yeah. Maybe she ran home,” Steve said. “It’s getting late for kids to be out right?”\n\nBucky shrugged. “As if you n’ I ever listened to curfews.” He grabbed Steve’s arm, pushing him against Natasha’s car. “Go back in?”\n\nSteve nodded. “We need to change.”\n\nBucky ran his fingers up Steve’s chest and squeezed at the muscle. “I like you all soaked.”\n\nSteve rolled his eyes. “Yup, definitely time to go back inside.”\n\nAs they walked to the front door, Steve heard someone run on the gravel behind them. They both turned around, peering into the rain. No one. \n\nBucky squeezed Steve’s hand. “Baby, c’mon.”\n\nSteve hesitated. He was at his limits with all this shit. “IT’S RAINING!” he shouted. “GO HOME, KID!”\n\nBucky smiled when Steve nodded, signaling he was finished. “That feel good?” Bucky asked.\n\n“Yup. Now let’s [[get out of these damn clothes]].” \n

“Please fuck me,” Bucky begged, feeling tears fall from his eyes. “I don’t wanna die without this.” \n“Bucky…” Steve was still for a long time. They both were. Bucky hated himself. This wasn’t how sex was supposed to be. This wasn’t how anything was supposed to be. They weren’t supposed to be so afraid they’d never feel the comfort of each other’s bodies again. They weren’t supposed to cry from sadness. Sex wasn’t supposed to be like this… \nSteve slipped inside. It burned, oh it burned like hot wax filling Bucky up. He smiled, relief washing away the ache. They were doing this because if they didn’t—would they ever again? A goodbye? A last hurrah? Bucky wasn’t sure, but it felt good and he didn’t care. All he wanted was Steve. \nSteve rolled them further up the bed, nestling between Bucky’s legs. He rocked into Bucky slowly, kissing Bucky’s chin, his neck and his nose. Bucky felt the tear tracks on his face when their heads bumped with each soft thrust. Their bodies barely made any sound as they slipped in and out of each other. \nThe bed creaked, a sad tune to fill the void that filled the room. Their love wasn’t enough to make it better. It was a thought that shattered Bucky’s heart. \n\n“I love you,” Steve whispered against Bucky’s lips. “I’ll do everything I can to protect you.” \n\nBucky smiled, tracing Steve’s eyes. Such beautiful, marble eyes. “I know.” He tugged Steve closer, wrapping his arms around shoulders to dig his nails in. He listened to the soft gasp, felt the lips that pressed into his neck. “I’ll protect you too.” \n\nWould that it could be enough… \n\nSteve rolled over, leaning back as Bucky sat up. He trailed his fingers along Bucky’s abs and down his hips. He grabbed them, thumbing over the skin. “You’re so pretty.” \n\nBucky smiled. “So’re you.” He rocked into Steve, a slow dance with no real rhythm but their heartbeats. The moonlight sparkled off Bucky’s pale skin. They looked like two ghosts in the light. The storm was finally breaking. \n\nBucky let his cock slip against Steve’s taut abs, hissing when his tip hit just right. He’d come like this. He always came when he was on top. \nSteve trailed his fingers down Bucky’s back, dipping into the curve of his spine and squeezing his ass. He watched Bucky like he didn’t know anything else existed. His eyes were drowning from the intensity he held in them—all for Bucky. \n\nBucky trembled, curving his spine and feeling Steve tucked up inside him. He leaned his head back, reaching out to balance himself. Steve caught his fingers and laced them together. \n“Touch me,” Steve said. “Touch me everywhere.” \n\nBucky smiled, nodding. He leaned forward, kissing Steve’s forehead, his brows, his eyelids—he caressed his fingers over arms, nipples and abs. He rolled them to the side, and even slipped a finger between Steve’s ass to finger at his hole. \n\nSteve didn’t stop him, just reached his lips forward to kiss. Kissing Steve was like kissing a crisp fall day with a cup of warm apple cider. It was unhurried, sweet and meaningful—inspiring. Kissing Steve meant Bucky was alive. \n\nThey were both crying silently by the time Bucky came. He didn’t cry out, he didn’t spew love-professions or even how much he loved Steve’s cock (and he loved Steve’s cock). They just cried and kissed. \n\nAnd kissed.\n\nSteve gasped, thrusting faster when he came. He whimpered into the kiss, clutching Bucky like the sky would swallow him up. Perhaps it would. Bucky’s eyes weren’t open. \n\nThey spent more time kissing, stroking fingers over each other’s shoulders, tracing sensitive nipples and memorizing the landscape of each other. It felt like a goodbye. Maybe it was.\nBucky wasn’t sure which decisions would be the right ones. \n\n“We should stop.” Steve’s voice shattered the bubble Bucky worked so hard to lose himself in. The horrors of reality lurked in the shadows. Bucky opened his eyes, seeing a dark room with barren walls and a door that looked more menacing than it should. “They gave us enough time.” \n\nUntangling from each other had never been harder to do. Bucky found himself sobbing when Steve pulled away. \n\n“I’m right here.” Steve pulled down one of the curtains. “We’ve gotta clean up.” \n\n“What’re you doin’” Bucky asked. \n\nSteve looked to the curtain. “I’m too scared to go into the bathroom.” \n\nBucky nodded. “I’ve still got come in my ass.” \n\nSteve blushed. “Uh—I’ll use my briefs. I’ll just not wear any.” He got on the bed, pulling Bucky’s legs apart. “That okay?”\n\nBucky nodded, looking to the window as Steve worked into Bucky to clean him out. It wasn’t entirely comfortable. A shower would’ve been better, but no man in their right mind would use one of those now in this house. He stared out the window, looking at pond. “She died in there.”\n\nSteve nodded. “I know.” \n\n“Maybe we should—talk to her?” \n\n“You think she would?” \n\nBucky wasn’t sure. But he had [[to at least try]]. \n

“I’ll join you. Just give me a minute up here okay?” Bruce asked, gesturing to the few last pieces of clothing. \n\n“Yeah, no prob,” Steve said, leaving the room and gliding down the hallway. He looked at the wall lights, pausing briefly to purse his lips as he inspected them. He should probably call Tony and ask for light bulbs. Most of the ones up here weren’t working anymore. \n\nHe flipped open his phone, dialing Tony’s number. He picked up on the third click.\n \n“Steve,” he answered politely. “I’m not getting you a veggie tray. I’m already on my way back. Eat some damn junk food for once in your life.”\n\nSteve laughed, leaning against the wall. “Ah, I wanted light bulbs. We’re running on only a couple upstairs.”\n\n“Check the basement? There may be some down there from the previous owners,” he responded. \n\n“That’s a good idea.”\n\n“Oh, also, Thor is following me. Saw him at the store. He drove up from the city, figured you wouldn’t mind if he stays the night too?”\n\nThor wasn’t actually the man’s real, first name, but it was his last name. He looked like a Norse god so everyone called him by his last name; it was more fitting. “Yeah! Sure no prob. I’ll dig out more blankets. People are gonna have to fight for the couch.”\n\nTony laughed. “I brought that thing in! I call it! \n\nSteve nodded to himself, walking down the stairs. “Good luck with that.” He traced his fingers along the molding of one of the archways before entering the dining room, looking at the long dining table they’d purchased at an antique flea market. It blended perfectly with its soft swaying curves and ornate decoration on the legs. “How far are you still?”\n\n“Eh, ‘bout five or ten minutes.”\n\n“See you soon then,” Steve responded. He waited for Tony to say his salutations before hanging up the phone. \n\nHe walked into the kitchen, seeing Bucky putting the plates away. Each time he’d reach up, just a bit of his tummy would show from under his white shirt. Steve laughed, coming up behind him and wrapping his arms around him. “Hey, homeowner,” he greeted, pressing a kiss into the back of Bucky’s neck. \n\nBucky laughed, turning around in Steve’s arms. He smirked devilishly. “I’m ‘bout finished in here. Wanna help put the china pieces up?” He pressed a soft kiss into Steve’s lips, running his tongue over the bottom lip. He pulled back, smirking suggestively. \n\nSteve moaned softly, running his tongue over his bottom lip, savoring the warm, wet saliva from Bucky. “Sure. Where’d you put it all?”\n\nBucky tilted his head up, jerking his chin in the direction of the items. “Breakfast nook.” \n\nSteve walked over, scanning over the few boxes that had ornate chinaware nestled in bubblewrap. He pulled one out, turning back around. “Do we have a footstool?” \n\nBucky smirked. “Seriously, Steve? We’re two men over six feet. Do we have a God damned footstool?”\n\nSteve rolled his eyes, but he went back over, stretching as high as he could so he could place the china above the cabinets for display. \n\nAs he was about to finish pushing the piece back, something crashed behind him. Steve whirled around, looking at the broken china pieces on the floor. He watched Bucky fall to his knees, cradling the largest piece in his hands. \n\nBruce walked into the entryway of the room, but he abruptly halted when he saw the glass. “Oh, crap,” he whispered. \n\nSteve leaned down, wrapping an arm over Bucky’s shoulder. “Hey, Bucky,” he cooed. “It’s gonna be okay.” \n\nBucky had tears streaming down his face as he stared at the china piece. “This was my grandma’s. It was all I had left of her,” he croaked out. “It was in a box! It was safe and tucked in a box. How the fuck did it fall?”\n\nSteve’s stomach knotted. He looked up, seeing the empty box. It was still sitting straight up. It was as if someone had picked the bowl up and dropped it… Steve looked back to Bucky, caressing the man’s shoulders. He could try to [[make some logical excuse]] or he could [[admit he had no idea]] how it happened. \n

“Wanna fuck you,” Steve breathed out. “In a fucking car.” \n\nBucky smiled darkly, spinning Steve around to rip his pants off entirely and drop them to the side. He stood up, catching Steve’s mouth with his. Their tongues swirled around each other, lips twisting and teeth clattering. Bucky rolled his hips into Steve, pushing his hardening cock against Steve. “Touch me, Stevie?” he breathed out. “Want you to touch me.” \n\nSteve reached down, tilting his head to catch Bucky’s lips in his. He slipped his hand into Bucky’s pants, curling his fingers around Bucky and pumping slowly. He teased at the slit, circling the pad of his finger against it. With his other hand, he tugged Bucky’s pants down, breaking the kiss only to let Bucky slip them off. They moved over to Nat’s car, opening the door.\n\n“She’s an idiot,” Bucky laughed as he slid into the car, spreading his legs wide for Steve.\n\nSteve growled, jumping atop Bucky, clashing their mouths together and pressing his cock against Bucky’s. He reached down, his fingers fumbling over both their erections as he pulled them together, stroking them at the same time.\n\nBucky moaned into his mouth, grinding hard against Steve’s body. “That feeL’s so good, so good, doll,” Bucky panted. \n\n“Gonna make you feel real good, Buck,” Steve whispered back. “Gotta use spit though? That okay?”\n\nBucky nodded, pushing his wet mouth against Steve’s again. “Just fuck me, Stevie. Want that thick cock in me.”\n\nSteve palmed at Bucky’s dick, circling his hand over the tip and using his fingers to pull at the length, twisting them around.\n\n“Ah, sweet baby fucking Jesus you’re beautiful, Stevie,” Bucky gasped. “Lick my hole. Eat me out, baby. Wanna get all slicked up for you.” \n\nThey moved with a sense of urgency, both knowing that at any moment someone could come out and find them or that girl could come back… Steve didn’t relish the idea of Nat finding out they just fucked in the backseat of her car, especially because they were ignoring Banner's condition, but at the same time it would be kind of funny.\n\nSteve spread Bucky’s legs, growling in approval as he let his finger run over Bucky’s rim.\n\nBucky arched into the touch, arching his back. He reached up to grab at the handle on the car, locking the door.\n\n“Scared someone’s gonna open it?” Steve teased as he swirled the pad of his finger over Bucky’s hole.\n\n“J-just don’t wanna open it on accident,” Bucky breathed out. “Lick me, Steve!”\n\nSteve wasted no time in slipping his tongue between Bucky’s cheeks. He lapped at Bucky’s hole, sucking loudly against it as his hand lazily went up to play with Bucky’s balls. He loved the way Bucky’s hole fluttered against his tongue, opening and clenching as his tongue glided around it.\n\n“Oh, yes, doll,” Bucky breathed out, pressing one of his arms over his mouth to bite down. “Just like that.”\n\nSteve swirled his tongue around the rim, poking it in softly, just barely but enough to tease Bucky.\n\n“More, Steve!” Bucky whined, smacking his head back against the car door.\n\nSteve’s cock was throbbing with anticipation. God, Bucky was so beautiful, pushing his ass down on Steve’s face and floundering his arms around as he helplessly searched for something to hold onto.\n\nSteve hooked his tongue, lapping at the back of Bucky’s rim. He sucked at it, pulling tiny little gasps from Bucky’s lips that made his heart flutter.\n“Ah…ah…fuck…”\n\nSteve slipped his tongue inside, rolling it against Bucky’s muscles, slicking them up with saliva. He pushed Bucky’s ass cheeks further apart, getting his face further up to move his tongue more. \n\nBucky threw his head back, moaning loudly as he rocked back on Steve’s face. \n\nSteve’s nose was against Bucky’s perineum. He nuzzled at it, enjoying when Bucky rocked his hips up for more of the light contact. He paused, pulling back when he thought he heard someone running outside.\n\n“What?” Bucky protested. “Fuck, baby don’t stop now!”\n\n“I thought I heard something,” Steve explained.\n\nBucky sat up, looking around into the night. “Don’t see nothin’.” He pulled Steve’s face to his, flicking his tongue out against Steve’s lips. “Fuck me.”\n\nSteve nestled back between Bucky’s legs, pushing his face firmer against Bucky’s ass. He flattened his tongue inside, lulling it forcefully against Bucky’s insides, feeling them quake around him. Hooking his tongue, he pulled it out with a tiny pop before plunging back in. \n\n“Oh, fuck me, Steve!” Bucky cried. “God yes so good, so good!”\n\nSaliva dribbled down Steve’s chin as he worked Bucky open with his tongue, lapping at that precious little hole that flirted with him. He swirled his tongue around it before pressing loud kisses against it.\n\n“Steve!” Bucky giggled. “You’re so fucking weird!”\n\n“You’ve got such a pretty little hole, baby,” Steve praised. “I just wanna love it.”\n\n“God, why did I marry you?” Bucky questioned as he rested his head back against the door.\n\n“Dunno,” Steve answered, slipping a finger into Bucky, rocking it in and out softly. \n\nBucky’s eyes fluttered closed as he pushed down on the finger. “Ah, God that’s good.”\n\n“You think you can take me? I don’t wanna be gone too much longer.”\n\nBucky whimpered but nodded. “Yeah. Just fuck me hard. Don’t want them realizing what we’re doin'.”\n\nSteve spit down onto his cock, smearing the saliva around his length. His hand was warm against himself and he wanted so badly to pump as fast as possible but Bucky’s beautiful, glistening hole was right there waiting for him.\n\nBucky wrapped his legs around Steve, bucking his hips up, his cock swaying gently. “Fuck. Me.”\n\nSteve laughed, but he lined himself up, pushing into Bucky’s slick hole.\n\nBucky squeezed around him, groaning in discomfort. He shifted, trying to rock his hips but pulled back, his muscles clamping around Steve. \n\n“You okay?” Steve asked, reaching his hands up to finger at Bucky’s nipples beneath his shirt. “Wanna stop?”\n\n“Oh fuck you, I can take it,” Bucky growled as he pushed back against Steve’s cock. “Fuck me, doll baby.” \n\nSteve purred approvingly. He slipped further into Bucky, rocking back gently before slipping back in.\n\nBucky’s eyes fluttered closed as his mouth dropped open.\n\n“Feel good, baby?” Steve asked, thrusting up gently again.\n\n“Oh fuck yeah, Stevie,” Bucky breathed. “Harder. Want bruises all over.”\n\nBucky arched his back, wrapping his arms around Steve as he rolled his hips up. \n\nSteve quickened his thrusts, smacking his balls audibly against Bucky as he did so.\n\nBucky squeezed his legs around Steve tighter, mewling incoherently. He wrapped his hand around the back of Steve’s neck, pulling his face down to meet his.\n\nSteve thrust in and out of Bucky’s hot little ass, feeling those muscles clenching, pulling him deeper, letting him slip just a bit further in as Bucky’s mouth claimed his.\n\nBucky was eager, hastening Steve’s thrusts as he rocked up into Steve, smacking his hips loudly against Steve’s body. “Fuck. Me. Damn it! We don’t got time for you to fuck around!”\n\n“Love your word choice,” Steve teased as he pressed a soft kiss to Bucky’s lips. “I love when you get all impatient.” \n\n“Fuck. Me,” Bucky growled again. \n\nSteve wasted no time. He snapped his hips back and forth, pushing his cock further into Bucky with each thrust. \n\nBucky bounced off the car seat, rocking his ass into Steve. They shook the car back and forth. He grabbed at the door again, dropping his head against it. “Mmmm, fuck…more…more baby,” he moaned. \n\nSteve thrusted harder, back and forth into Bucky, snapping his hips up to push his tip against Bucky’s prostate.\n\nSteve saw flashes of white each time his tip would press into Bucky’s prostate. “Ah…ah…ah…ah!” he gasped with each push. “Bucky…fuck…fuck…fuck…”\n\nBucky grunted, animalistic and low in his throat. He rocked into Steve, pushing the car back and forth, sweat chilling against his skin. “Just like that, just like that Stevie!”\n\nSteve needed this. Everything had been so tense, from the move to the girl… Things were happening that he didn’t really understand and this just felt right. Bucky’s body so warm against him–around him. He shoved his dick up into Bucky, crying out as heat rose in his stomach, starting at the pit and rising to his sternum. He shook from heat rising in the car, the ferocity of his thrusts and the excitement of knowing at any moment they could be caught. \n\n“Oh…B-Bucky…I’m coming, Bucky…fuck…fuck I love you and that fucking…ah…ah!” Steve moved to wrap his fingers around Bucky’s dick, stroking him as fast as he could, thumb moving in fast circles up and down the shaft. His orgasm pushed out from his balls and into Bucky’s ass. He laughed, breathless and in so much euphoria as his muscles melted beneath Bucky’s urgent thrusts. \n\nBucky’s muscles clenched around Steve, locking him inside, pulling him deeper as his orgasm rippled through his body, making his knees turn to jelly and his spine curve. \n\nSteve continued to stroke Bucky’s cock, spitting down on it and coating it with the warm saliva. He flicked his wrist, thumb tickling at the underside of the tip.\n\nBucky moved to grab the back of Steve’s neck, snapping his hips up against Steve. “Oh fuck, doll…fuck…fuck…me too!”\n\nSteve felt Bucky’s seed shot up against his shirt, hot and wet. He rocked back into Bucky, making sure to let Bucky ride out his orgasm, giving Bucky the pleasure his perfect body deserved.\n\nThey collapsed into each other, raggedly breathing. Turning to each other, they both started giggling. “Oh my God, we just did that!” Steve laughed as he dropped his head into Bucky’s chest. “We’re fucking teenagers again.”\n\nBucky chest rumbled with his laughter. He ran his fingers through Steve’s hair, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Quick n’ dirty. Just like old times.”\n\nSteve sniffed, shifting closer to Bucky’s body for warmth. “Where’re my pants?” \n\nBucky looked around, his eyes suddenly confused. “Uh…I dropped them right next to the car?”\n\nSteve groaned, untangling himself from Bucky. He opened the car door, looking to where Bucky was pointing. “I don’t see them, Buck. Seriously, where’re my pants.”\n\n“I put them right there!” Bucky protested as he scooted out of the car. “God it’s cold out.” \n\n“I can’t go back inside like this!” Steve exclaimed as he gestured to his bottom half.\n\nHuffing, Bucky stood up, tucking himself back into his pants. He looked around the car and peeked his head under it. “I don’t see them, Steve. And I need to clean your sperm outta my ass.”\n\n“Well they couldn’t have just…” Steve’s eyes rounded as his brain stumbled upon the only logical conclusion. “That girl.”\n\nBucky’s mouth dropped open, his chest still rising and falling as he caught his breath. “Fuckin’ seriously? We’re were… Oh my God.” He scrubbed his hands over his face, groaning. \n\nSteve stood up, covering his flaccid cock. “Did she watch us?” \n\n“I can’t believe this!” Bucky continued. “How’d she get that close and we didn’t even see her?”\n\n“I don’t know, baby!” Steve snapped back. “But we need to go back in.”\n\nBucky’s eyes softened as he nodded slowly. “Yeah. Yeah okay.”\n\nAs they were walking, they heard someone running at them, getting closer.\n\nSteve moved to get behind Bucky in a desperate attempt to cover his naked lower half. \n\n“What the fuck?” Bucky gasped his gaze frantically looking about the yard. “You heard that right?”\n\n“Yeah,” Steve whispered. “Let’s just get the fuck inside.” Steve wasn’t one to be scared, but having his ass hanging out made him feel moderately vulnerable. Too much was happening tonight. Too much he couldn’t figure out and right now, all he wanted to do was share a beer with his friends and then go to sleep with Bucky. Maybe even fuck him more later. \nTogether they turned to [[just go back inside]].

Bucky was the first into the living room. He went behind the TV, making sure everything was plugged in before trying to turn the TV on. When it didn’t respond to him, he furrowed his brow, smacking the remote in his hands a few times and then tried again.\n\n“What’s wrong?” Steve asked. \n\n“S’not turnin’ on,” Bucky grumbled. “We just bought this damn thing too.” \n\nClint came up to the TV, fiddling with the wires. “Something chewed through your power cable.”\n\n“What?” Steve gasped. “Something…chewed it?”\n\nClint held up the cord, showing a gnarled cable. “Looks like we’ve got some rats in here.”\n\n“That’s just great,” Steve complained. “We haven’t lived here for even one full day and we’re already dealing with bullshit.” \n\n“It’s an old house, babe,” Bucky said softly. “It’s gonna have problems.”\n\n“Yeah,” Steve sighed. “Yeah I know. I just…I just wanted this to all work out.”\n\nBucky scrunched up his face softly, sympathy dancing across his features. He knew what Steve meant. Steve wanted them to have the perfect life with the perfect house. He’d been so excited about this house. Bucky had loved seeing the way Steve got the house all painted up, the way he worked himself to the bone with paint flecked over his face and arms. How he kept talking about what it’d be like during the holidays and their first snow, first summer lying by the pond. He’d been so excited and now small things were starting to creep up.\n \nBucky crossed the room, pulling Steve into a hug. “We’ll call an exterminator, doll. Don’t worry.” \n\nSteve whined softly but he nuzzled into Bucky’s neck.\n\n“I think we should just go to bed,” Clint suggested. “TV’s dead and it’s pitch black.”\n\n“We could make a fire out back? We don’t have to admit defeat in the face of broken technology,” Natasha offered. “I think that’d be nice.” \n\n“Yeah,” Bucky agreed. “How’s that sound, Stevie?”\n\nSteve nodded into Bucky’s neck, still leaning his weight against him. \n\n“Then let’s do it. We can gather up wood from outside and I’m sure there’s some stuff in the attic or basement we could burn,” Natasha detailed. “If that’s okay with you two.”\n\n“Oh yeah,” Bucky answered. “Burn away. I’ll go check the basement. Sam, wanna come with me?”\n\n“Sure,” Sam said, standing up from the couch. \n\n“You wanna grab blankets, baby?” Bucky asked Steve, pressing a kiss to his temple. “We can snuggle up out by the fire.”\nSteve nodded again, his gaze still fixed on the broken TV. \n“I’ll get us a new TV, doll baby,” Bucky laughed softly. “Just go get some blankets.”\n\n“We’ll go out and start getting some wood,” Natasha said, motioning to Bruce, Tony and Clint.\n \n“We could burn that weird ass chair I was sleeping in,” Tony suggested. “its structure is all wooden.”\n\n“I don’t feel like ripping the stuffing out of it,” Bucky replied, pulling away from Steve and making his way toward the basement.\n\n“Alright, go team go,” Tony laughed.\n\nBucky walked over to the basement with Sam, opening the door and heading down the steep steps. He fumbled around, trying to find the light switch.\n\nSam used his phone’s flashlight again. “It’s over here man.”\nBucky flipped the switch, his bones practically leaping from his skin when he saw a flash of what looked to be a man standing in the middle of the room. “HOLY SHIT!” Bucky screamed, falling back into Sam as they both collapsed onto the floor. “DID YOU SEE THAT? DID YOU FUCKING SEE THAT?!”\n\n“I SAW IT, I SAW IT!” Sam hollered, scrambling back up and running back up the stairs.\n\nBucky followed but something grabbed his ankle and pulled him back down. Shrieking, Bucky slammed against the wall, his joints popping. He hit his head, seeing red.\n\n“BUCKY! HEY GUYS! SOMEONE HELP!” Sam shouted.\n\nBucky lay against the wall, pain searing his nerves, blood rushing to the back of his head. Something had grabbed him. Something. Someone…grabbed…him. He opened his eyes, seeing Sam and more figures crowding around him. “There’s someone,” he mumbled. “Someone’s here.”\n\nHe was dizzy and tears clouded his vision. Steve helped pick him up, but Bucky could see the outline of the person well enough, standing there like a dark shadow, looming. “THERE, THERE, THERE!” Bucky shrieked, pointing into the room.\n\n“Where what?” Steve asked, looking to where Bucky was pointing.\n\n“Steve, he’s right there! He’s right fucking there!”\n\n“There’s no one there, Bucky!” Steve responded, running his fingers through Bucky’s hair. “His head’s bleeding.”\n\nTears poured from Bucky’s eyes. Trembling, he folded into Steve, his gaze fixed on the outline till he blinked and it was suddenly gone. “Steve,” he whimpered. “Steve someone’s here.”\n\n“No one’s here, baby,” Steve cooed. “Help me get him upstairs.” \n\nBucky’s head was throbbing, his body trembling violently as he continued to whimper. Someone had pulled him. Someone had tried to hurt him. They weren’t alone. He knew it! He’d felt like he’d been watched since the moment they got here. The china bowl didn’t just hop out of its box. Someone had to take it out. Someone was fucking with them. \n\n“Steve please!” Bucky wailed. “Please listen to me.”\n\n“I thought I saw something too, man,” Sam said as they put Bucky on the couch. “I thought I saw a guy.”\n\n“There’s a man in this house,” Bucky growled through clenched teeth, desperately trying to get Steve to listen. Steve was always stubborn. If he didn’t want to believe something, he never would. If he didn’t want to do something, he wouldn’t budge. “Steve, please, please listen to me!”\n\nSteve sighed, looking around the room as everyone trickled in. “Well, if they’re in the basement, we just barricade the door?”\n\n“Are you kidding me?” Tony gasped, flabbergasted. “We’re a huge group of well-fit men. We beat his ass for hurting Bucky.”\n\n“Steve,” Bucky groaned, fisting his hand into Steve’s shirt. “Please get him out. Please, please get him out.”\n\nSteve nodded, pressing his lips tightly together. “Okay. Okay we need some weapons.”\n\n“Your guns are in the bedroom,” Clint said. “We’ve got baseball bats too in the hall closet.”\n\n[[guns]] [[baseball bats]]\n