Mostly short one shots covering Bucky Barnes in different situations and AUs, from the 1940s to the present. Some will be soft, some dark, and some hopefully humorous.
Previously published on Tumblr. All MCU characters are the intellectual prope...
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For some reason I had a bit of an earworm moment that spurred me to write this story. I heard Level 42's Something About You and kept hearing it or seeing the number 42 in weird places. So this is what came from all of those different exposures. Content warning: Nothing explicit, just memories of abuse.
The drive to the prison wasn't a pleasant one for Bucky, as he sat in the passenger seat of Sam's truck. Even though he appeared to be tapping his fingers to the music playing from his phone, Sam could see the tension increase the closer they came to their destination. They were only going there to see someone from Bucky's past, his HYDRA past, on a request from the person. At first, when the request was initially made, Bucky said no.
"The man tormented me," he explained to Fury, who called him into his office to pass on the official request. "He was abusive verbally, physically, and mentally. I don't want to see him."
"Well, he says he has information for you and only for you," replied the director. "It could be a way to get some closure on that time in your life."
"He has nothing to say to me that I want to hear," insisted Bucky. "Nothing."
"Alright, I'll notify the prison administration that you refuse to see him."
That was a week ago. Two days ago, another request was sent to Fury, but there was an addition to it; the phrase "Level 42." When Fury said it to Bucky his face hardened, then he sat forward, boring his eyes into the man.
"Just those words?"
"Yes. What do they mean?"
Bucky sat back, his face a mask. Then he nodded.
"Alright, I'll go," he said. "But not alone. I want a witness. Sam."
He stood up to leave.
"Barnes, what does Level 42 mean?"
For a moment, Bucky hesitated, then he shook his head and walked out. Fury looked up at the ceiling.
"Friday, what does level 42 mean?"
The answer, the name of a British jazz-funk band from the 1980s meant nothing to him and considering Barnes was the Winter Soldier then, likely didn't mean anything to him, either. They got their name by taking the 42 from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, where it was said to be the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything, which was also the title to the third book in the series. As Fury read the description of the third book, he saw something that troubled him and wondered if that had anything to do with it. Leaning back in his chair he thought for a moment.
"Friday, go through the HYDRA files. Look for anything involving a truth drug called Level 42. Bookmark any other references of that term. Mark for my eyes only."
If he found anything before Bucky and Sam left, he didn't say. They got in the truck and began the long drive to the prison, driving instead of flying because Bucky wanted the time to prepare himself to see Josef Czerny, a Czech born guard for HYDRA.
