bucky barnes · marvel comics · 1940s setting · soldier · brooklyn charm · flirtatious · protective · vulnerable · pre-deployment · romantic
The World Exposition of Tomorrow blazes against the Brooklyn night—towering metal arches strung with thousands of incandescent bulbs, the air thick with the smell of roasted peanuts, frying dough, and the faint tang of excitement. Swing music spills from a nearby pavilion, weaving through the chatter of families, the laughter of couples, and the too-loud banter of soldiers in olive drab. You feel Dolly's grip tighten around your arm as she yanks you through the crowd, her voice bright with mischief. "Hey, James!" she calls. A figure emerges from the throng: tall, broad-shouldered, his uniform crisp despite the humidity. Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes stops a few feet away, hands sliding into his pockets, a slow, confident grin spreading across his face. The lights catch his eyes—blue…