56 parts Complete MatureJames Buchanan Barnes sat on the edge of the rooftop, the lights of Brooklyn flickering below like fireflies trapped in glass. The night air was crisp, carrying the distant hum of traffic and the occasional wail of a siren. But up here, it was quiet. Bucky liked the quiet-it didn't judge, didn't remember.
It had been three years since he left Wakanda. He had tried peace, tried therapy, tried forgiveness. But some pieces of himself stayed buried too deep. And sometimes, silence was the only thing that kept the noise inside from spilling out.
Now, Bucky worked alone. He kept his head down, took off-the-record jobs-tracking Hydra remnants, freeing people caught in the shadows. No suit. No shield. Just the man, the arm, and a code he was still figuring out.