"Shadows of Surrender"

Prompt: "Darkness Between Us" Genre: Dark Romance | Supernatural Thriller | Action | Lust & Betrayal Prologue (Bucky’s POV) The first time I saw Vivienne Calloway, I knew she was trouble. Not just the kind that made men stare when she walked into a room—the kind that burned through your veins, got under your skin, and made you lose yourself. The kind that made you wonder if you’d survive her. She was Hydra’s secret weapon. Just like I had been. But where my hands were trained for bloodshed, hers were made of something otherworldly. Water, fire, air, frost, and shadows bent to her will. She was a wonder, something rare and deadly, and she never let Hydra break her—not the way they did me. We were cellmates. We were weapons. We were something more. And then one night, she was gone. Disappeared without a trace, wiped from the world. And no matter how many times I asked, no matter how many bodies I broke looking for answers, I never found out what happened to her. But now—years later, standing in Avengers HQ—she’s here. Alive. Unchanged. And me? I don’t know if I want to pull her close… or burn the world down for her. Chapter One (Vivienne’s POV – Before the Prologue) The Sanctum Sanctorum was always too quiet at night. Not the kind of silence that felt peaceful, but the kind that pressed against your chest, that made you feel like something was lurking just outside the edges of your reality. I had seen too many realms, too many worlds where silence meant danger. But here, in New York, inside Strange’s realm of sorcery and ancient magic, I was supposed to be safe. Supposed to be. I sat on the rooftop, the wind curling around me like a lover’s touch. My hair whipped across my face as I stared at the skyline, the hum of the city below a distant, soothing buzz. I should have felt at home here. But I didn’t have a home. Not anymore. Decades of being nowhere and everywhere. I’d walked through dimensions that didn’t exist in human comprehension, danced with fairies, mastered elements, and bent the rules of physics itself. But somehow, here I was, sitting on a rooftop in Manhattan, a ghost in a city that never slept. “You’re thinking too loudly again.” Strange’s voice cut through the night, and I didn’t bother looking back. He was standing behind me, arms crossed, that knowing look in his sharp gaze. “Tell me something I don’t know.” My voice was smooth, unaffected. “You could stay here forever, you know.” I scoffed, tilting my head toward him. “And do what? Join your secret wizard club? Wear a ridiculous cape?” Strange sighed. “Nick Fury wants to meet you.” I stiffened. That name carried weight. He wasn’t just some government agent. He was the man who kept the Avengers in line—the man who always had a plan. And he wanted to meet me? A slow smirk curved my lips. “Guess I finally made it on someone’s radar.” Strange gave me a look. “You’ve always been on their radar. You just never stayed in one place long enough.” Something inside me twisted. I didn’t stay anywhere. I couldn’t. Because the moment I let my guard down, the moment I got comfortable—the past always came clawing back. Nick Fury wanted me. That meant the Avengers wanted me. And the Avengers meant… No. He wouldn’t be there. He had to be long gone by now. Moved on. Dead, maybe. Bucky Barnes wasn’t a name I let myself think about anymore. I inhaled sharply and pushed myself up, turning to Strange. “When does Fury want to meet?” Strange’s lips curled into something unreadable. “Tomorrow.” And just like that, everything changed. Chapter Two: Ghosts of the Past (Bucky’s POV & The Avengers’ POVs) Bucky Something was wrong. I felt it in my bones. That old, cold ache that never really left me—the feeling you get when the past is about to rip itself out of the grave. I sat in the Avengers’ conference room, fingers tapping against my thigh, forcing myself to breathe evenly. Everyone was there—Steve, Natasha, Sam, Tony, Wanda, Bruce, and even Thor. Fury didn’t call meetings like this for nothing. And the last time I had this feeling? It was right before everything in my life went to hell. Fury strolled in, his long coat sweeping behind him. Strange followed, arms crossed, that usual unimpressed look on his face. Are the two of them in the same room? Nothing good could come from that. Fury didn’t waste time. “We’re bringing in someone new.” Tony scoffed. “Oh great. What is it this time? A time traveller? A secret love child? A super soldier with an actual personality?” Steve shot him a look, but Fury ignored the comment. His single eye swept across the room, landing on me for a second too long. That’s when I knew. I fucking knew. “This isn’t just some recruit,” Fury continued. “She’s… unique.” “Define unique.” Natasha’s voice was smooth, and calculated. Strange finally spoke, his voice calm, but carrying weight. “She doesn’t belong to this world in the way we do.” Silence. A slow smirk spread on Tony’s face. “All right, Gandalf, you wanna be a little less cryptic?” Fury exhaled. “Her name is Vivienne Calloway.” The world stopped turning. I went still. My stomach clenched so tight I thought I was gonna be sick. No. No, I didn’t just hear that. I couldn't have. The name hung in the air, sharp as a blade. Steve shifted beside me, watching me carefully. Natasha’s expression didn’t change, but I knew her well enough to see the way her shoulders tensed. Sam, Wanda, Bruce, Thor—they had no idea. But me? My hands curled into fists, knuckles aching from the force of it. Fury kept talking. I didn’t hear a single goddamn word. I was back there. Back in that Hydra cell.
Back in that frozen nightmare.
Back with her. Vivienne. I could still hear her voice, that teasing lilt she always had, even in the worst of times. I could still feel the heat of her skin when she used to stand too close, still remember the way her powers made the air crackle around her. I could still see the way she looked at me. Like she saw something real in me. Like I wasn’t just a weapon. And then—she was gone. Just like that. Nobody. No explanation. No trace. I spent years looking for answers I never found. I told myself she was dead. I told myself I had to move on. And now, Fury was standing in front of me, casually saying her name like it didn’t change everything. I forced my voice to stay even. “You’re lying.” Fury’s expression didn’t change. “I won’t lie, Barnes.” Cold ran through me. “She’s alive.” A pause. Then Strange spoke, his voice quiet. “She’s more than alive. She’s coming here.” Natasha I didn’t flinch, didn’t show an ounce of emotion, but my mind was already moving a mile a minute. Vivienne Calloway. I’d never met her. Never seen her. But I knew the name. Because Bucky never spoke it. Not once in all the years I’ve known him. And that? That meant something. I studied him carefully. His shoulders were stiff, his jaw tight, but his eyes gave him away. They were wild. Uncontrolled. The way they used to be when he was fresh out of Hydra. And if there was one thing I knew about James Buchanan Barnes? It took a hell of a lot to shake him. Steve Bucky was barely breathing. I could see it—his fingers twitching like they wanted to grab something, the way his entire body was coiled tight like he was preparing for a fight. And I didn’t know if that fight was with Fury—or with himself. I leaned forward. “Who is she?” Fury glanced at me, then at Bucky. “She was a Hydra asset. Same timeline as him. Different skill set.” That was an understatement. Strange clasped his hands behind his back. “She has elemental control over fire, water, air, frost, and shadow.” Tony let out a low whistle. “Damn. And I thought Wanda had range.” Wanda, who had been quiet this whole time, finally spoke, her voice calm but curious. “She’s not just powerful, is she?” Strange’s lips curled slightly. “No. She’s… otherworldly.” Sam frowned. “Define otherworldly.” Strange hesitated. Just for a second. “She’s been through dimensions. She spent decades moving through realities beyond ours. She’s seen things none of us can imagine.” That did it. The entire room fell completely silent. Bruce looked skeptical. “And now she’s back? Just like that?” Fury nodded. “She’s coming tomorrow.” Tomorrow. Tomorrow, Bucky was going to see her again. Tomorrow, everything changes. Bucky I barely heard anything else. I was stuck in my head, drowning in the weight of her name, in the memories I buried long ago. She was alive. She was coming here. And me? I had no fucking idea what I was supposed to do about it. Chapter Three: The Woman Who Shouldn't Exist (Vivienne’s POV & The Avengers’ POVs) Vivienne I knew they’d be watching me before I even walked in. The Avengers. The living legends. The ones I’d only ever heard whispers about in my old life. And now, I was about to walk straight into their headquarters. There was a weight in my chest—not fear, not anxiety. Something else. The same feeling I got every time I stepped into the unknown. It was hunger. For what, I wasn’t sure yet. Power? Control? Answers? I adjusted my gloves as I stepped out of Strange’s portal, my boots clicking against the marble floors. I felt everything before I saw anything—the shift in the air, the silence in the room, the weight of their stares pressing into me. I lifted my chin, my eyes sweeping the room, drinking them all in. They were exactly as I expected. Tony Stark, leaning against the table like he had better places to be. Steve Rogers, standing tall, a leader even when he wasn’t trying to be. Natasha Romanoff, silent, calculating, her green eyes locked on me like a predator. Thor. Wanda. Sam. Bruce. And then— Him. Bucky Barnes. I hadn’t seen him in decades. And yet, looking at him now, I could still feel him under my skin. I didn’t let my face change. Didn’t let my body betray me. But I knew. He knew. This was going to be hell. Bucky I had imagined this moment a thousand times. Vivienne walks into a room.
Alive.
Real.
Not a memory or a ghost or something I tried to forget. But nothing prepared me for the way she looked standing in front of me. She hadn’t aged. Not a single goddamn day. Same lips I used to kiss, the same eyes I used to get lost in. The same is everything. And fuck, I hated her for it. For looking so effortless. For standing there like this wasn’t breaking the world apart. For leaving me behind. Her eyes flickered to me—just for a second. A second too long. And I felt it. That pull. That goddamn gravitational force she always had. Natasha noticed. Of course, she did. Steve too. I clenched my jaw and forced myself to breathe. She doesn’t get to do this. She doesn’t get to walk back into my life and expect it to be fine. She doesn’t get to look at me like that. Like she never left. Natasha The air was thick with something no one wanted to name. Vivienne Calloway was something else entirely. I could tell just by looking at her. The way she held herself—like she knew exactly what she was capable of, and exactly how dangerous she could be. But the way Bucky looked at her? That was what interested me the most. I’d never seen him like this. Not once. And I’ve seen Bucky at his worst. But this? This wasn’t anger. It wasn’t heartbreak. It was something raw. Something deep. And Vivienne? She wasn’t unaffected. She was just better at hiding it. This was going to be fun. Tony I cleared my throat, breaking the world’s most intense staring contest. “All right. Who’s gonna say it?” No one spoke. I gestured vaguely at the tension cloud hanging over the room. “Oh, come on. No one? No one wants to acknowledge the fact that Barnes looks like he’s having a full-blown existential crisis right now?” Steve sighed. “Tony.” “What? I’m just saying what we’re all thinking.” I turned back to Vivienne, smirking. “So. What’s your deal?” Her eyes flicked to mine, sharp and assessing. “My deal?” she repeated, voice smooth, almost lazy. I shrugged. “Yeah. Are you secretly evil? Planning to betray us in the third act? Are you and Frosty over there gonna have a full-fledged enemies-to-lovers moment in front of all of us?” Vivienne’s lips curled—not quite a smirk, but close. “If I was secretly evil,” she said, “you’d already be dead.” Oh, I liked her. Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. “Tony, stop antagonizing her.” “What? I’m just making conversation.” Vivienne didn’t look away from me. “I’m here because Fury and Strange seem to think I belong here. I don’t care if you agree with them or not.” “Bold of you to assume we care what Fury thinks.” Fury gave me a pointed look. Okay, fair. Maybe I should shut up. But hey—at least I got Barnes’ death stare off of her. Small wins. Vivienne They were testing me. All of them. Bucky, Natasha, Tony—each in their way. It didn’t bother me. I was used to being the unknown variable. I met Natasha’s stare, measuring, unspoken words passing between us. She was the one to look away first. Interesting. I turned back to the rest of them. “Are we done here?” Fury raised an eyebrow. “You tell me.” I exhaled, glancing at Strange. “Show me to my room.” He nodded once, opening a small portal beside me. But before I stepped through, I felt him. Bucky. Still watching me. Still waiting. Still stuck in the past we never got to finish. I didn’t look back. I stepped through the portal, disappearing into the unknown. And Bucky? He still wasn’t breathing. Chapter Four: The Calm Before the Storm (Tony, Steve, Natasha, and Vivienne’s POVs) Tony The silence in the conference room is deafening. Vivienne’s barely been gone for five minutes, and it feels like the temperature dropped by ten degrees. I glance around the room, taking stock of everyone’s reactions. Steve looks like someone just dragged him through a war zone — which, knowing him, isn’t much of a stretch. Wanda is quiet, her brows furrowed like she’s picking up emotions that aren’t hers. Sam is leaning back, arms folded, observing. Thor looks intrigued, like someone just told him there was another god in the building. And Bucky? Bucky’s a goddamn statue. His jaw is tight, his fists clenched at his sides. The only sign that he hasn’t turned into a vibranium-coated mannequin is the slight twitch in his metal fingers. If anyone so much as breaths wrong, I’m pretty sure he’s going to punch a hole through the wall. Which means it’s the perfect time to poke the bear. "So…" I lean back in my chair, steepling my fingers. "Who’s going to be the one to ask him if they were sleeping together while they were in Hydra’s little playpen?" Bucky snaps. He pushes off the wall, metal fingers digging into his palms as he whirls around, eyes dark. "You wanna say that again, Stark?" His voice is low. Dangerous. Bingo. I raise my hands in mock surrender. "Hey, no judgment here, pal. I mean, we’ve all got our… extracurricular activities. Just didn’t peg you for the ‘emotionally tortured, brooding romance’ type." Bucky looks like he’s two seconds away from ripping my arm off. Steve steps in. "Tony, that’s enough." His tone is sharp, and for once, I listen. Bucky shakes his head, muttering something under his breath before storming out of the room, the door slamming behind him. A beat of silence. "So… that was fun," Sam mutters. Steve sighs and scrubs a hand down his face. "You’re impossible." "Thank you," I say, giving a little bow. "But seriously, what’s the deal? Hydra super soldier love story?" Steve hesitates, then sits down heavily. "It’s complicated." "Clearly." Steve leans forward, resting his arms on the table. "Bucky told me bits and pieces. Vivienne was captured around the same time he was. Hydra kept them in neighbouring cells and experimented on both of them. They…" He pauses, choosing his words carefully. "They looked out for each other. Protected each other." Thor frowns. "A bond forged in battle. Understandable." Steve exhales. "It was more than that. Bucky never said the words, but I could see it. They relied on each other. They survived because of each other." Wanda speaks softly, her voice careful. "And then she disappeared." Steve nods. "One day, she was just… gone. Bucky never knew what happened to her. He thought Hydra had killed her." "And now she’s back," Natasha says quietly. "And now she’s back." Steve leans back in his chair, looking toward the door Bucky stormed out of. "And I don’t think he has any idea what to do with that." I huff out a laugh. "Oh, I think he knows exactly what he wants to do with that. Whether it’s kiss her or kill her is the real question." Steve shoots me a glare, but I just smile. This is getting interesting. Natasha I find Vivienne in her new room, sitting cross-legged on the bed, staring at the wall like it holds the answers to the universe. I knock softly on the doorframe. "Mind if I come in?" She looks up, startled, but quickly masks it. "Sure." I step inside, taking in the sparse room. "Not exactly homey, huh?" She shrugs. "I’ve had worse." I lean against the wall, crossing my arms. "I bet." She studies me for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly. "You’re not here to interrogate me, are you?" I smile. "Nope. Just wanted to check in. Everyone downstairs is… processing." Her expression flickers. "Bucky?" I nod. "Especially Bucky." She looks away, jaw tight. "Of course he is." I watch her carefully. "You know, you don’t have to do this alone. Whatever happened — with Hydra, with Bucky — you’ve got people here who get it." She snorts. "Do I?" "Yeah." I pause. "And you’ve got me." She looks at me then, really looks at me like she’s trying to figure out if I’m messing with her. I’m not. After a long moment, she exhales and gives a small nod. "Thanks." I offer a small smile. "Anytime." We sit in silence for a while, the weight of everything hanging in the air. But somehow, it doesn’t feel as heavy anymore. Bucky I can’t breathe. I slam my fist against the training room wall, the metal groaning under the force. The sound echoes through the space, but it doesn’t help. She’s here. She’s alive. And I don’t know what the hell to do with that. I thought I’d buried her. The memory of her. Of us. But seeing her again… it’s like ripping open a wound that never healed. I can still feel her — the heat of her skin, the way she looked at me in those dark Hydra halls, like I was worth saving. But she left. She left, and I was alone. And now she’s back, acting like none of it meant anything. I let out a shaky breath, resting my forehead against the wall. My hands tremble. My heart races. I don’t know if I want to kill her or kiss her. Maybe both. God help me. Okay, for this chapter, im going to explain it very clearly to you: it starts with her being around all the Avengers in the compound (the new one), and it’s a somewhat fast-paced environment. Wanda is cooking, most of them are trying to fix the television, etc., and she and Natasha are talking and hanging out. Bucky is with Sam, and Sam is finally getting some information out of Bucky about Bucky and Vivienne. Tony then comes in (like the diva he is) and tells everyone that he is hosting a huge party tonight. No reason; just because. It’s supposed to be fancy. Everyone groans, but Tony (like a diva) doesn’t care. It then skips to her and Natasha getting ready together and Vivienne opening up to her a little bit about her past (this includes the love Bucky, and she had the torture, and she shows her some of her powers by moving her hand in the air and elements like shadows, light, fire, air, water, and frost fill the room in a beautiful glow all at the same time. and she tells Nat that no one else except Bucky, Dr. Strange (Steven), and Nick (Furry), and now she knows she has these powers.) they finish getting ready, Natasha wearing a beautiful flow-length dress and same with Vivienne with a slit on the side. They head down to the main areas in the compound, where there are so many people it looks like a mini town, but because the place is so huge, it doesn’t seem busy at all. Nat and Vivienne walk straight to where all the other Avengers are and start talking and drinking with everyone -bucky is somewhere admiring her. After about an hour, Tony comes over to everyone and tells them that they are playing a game where each person can ask anyone a specific question and that person must answer it truthfully. They all start asking each other questions, and Sam asks Vivienne about what she did while in the other universes and what she did in this one when Steven found her and brought her back here. She explains how when she and Bucky were on a mission, she got pulled away from everyone into a forest, and a portal opened and pulled her in. She had been pulled into another earth, similar to the real one, but different. Everyone had powers just like hers and she learned so much in the 15 years she was there -because of the serum, the one Bucky and Steve also have, she doesn’t age nor die. When she left, she was able to travel to more universes and she finally decided to stop trying to get back to her earth. So she started to settle down, had amazing friends, and even had a relationship with someone. She also started singing and quickly became popular (she went by Vivi Calloway and Natasha, Maria (Hill), and Wanda all started gasping saying “No fucking way” and “You’re joking right” and the other Avengers are super confused, but they girls knew that singer and were so excited and shocked that that was her all of a sudden all of them (Vivienne, Nat, Maria, and Wanda) all start laughing and talking and she tells them that she just finished writing and recording her new album 2 days ago. They ask her if the album is going to be Vivi or Vienna (the others are so confused) and Vivienne tells them that it’s full Vienna (her alter ego as a singer -like Tate McRae and how she’s also Tatiana (alter ego)) and they are all so excited -in a mature way- Now, Bucky is sitting with everyone, eyes wide still processing that Vivienne said she had been with another man when she was gone; his emotions for her growing stronger and more hateful at the same time. Wanting her all to himself, but also wanting to kill her for everything. Meanwhile, Natasha and the girls finally convince Vivienne to play her new album for them and she starts playing all her new songs -note: she finished writing these when she was with the Avengers and back in Bucky’s presence- so some song lyrics are “For God's sake. Don't believe a word that I say I wanna touch on you all day Instead, I'm pushin' you away So classic Assumin' you're telepathic Okay, it might make me batshit Just doin' it out of habit, oh no” -Sign “No, I am not in love I am not thinkin' 'bout you Sun's not gonna come up And I don't hate every girl your eyes go to I am not in love Sky has never been blue (Blue) No, I'm not in love No, I'm not, not, not with you” -No I’m Not In Love And she plays so many more songs for them, and they are all so impressed and all vibing and dancing (almost sexy-like and doing some of the choreography for her tours) to her new songs while Bucky and Steve and Sam (and Natasha too) all sort of put together that some of the songs are about Bucky and Bucky… is being quite and wants to do everything and everything unimaginably dirty to her and also wanting her to kill her. While the party continues, Clint asks what her powers are because she hasn’t shown them. She hesitates for a moment, but Natasha and the girls still have her music on, and they pull her into dancing with them. She starts using her powers as a part of her emotions, and the area of the compound they’re in starts glowing and water, fire, and frost fills the room. Everyone is captivated, Tony being a diva and more. Nat and her start laughing and grab their drinks. Some of them start talking and stare at Furry and Strange, wondering why they didn’t bring her to them sooner. As the night moves on, Nat and Vivienne start dancing and singing some of Viv’s most popular songs in the middle of the room, including a semi-new one, “Call Me When You Break Up Ft. Gracie Abrams,” and “I Can See You” while Bucky stares at her thinking about everything he wants to do to her -kiss and kill way. When the party started slowing down, Viv started heading back up and through the large compound, the noise slowly getting softer as she went back to her room. What she didn't know was that Bucky was following her, staying far enough behind for her not to notice him. But as she started to open her door and go through, Bucky came up behind her, pushed her against the wall and locked the door, holding her in place. and then this happens: Predatory Energy: As soon as the door locks, Bucky cages her against the wall. His body presses into hers, unrelenting, and there’s no escape. His eyes are dark, burning with equal parts fury and desire. Snapped Restraint: “You think you can just show up and pretend like nothing happened?” His voice is low, dangerous. Every word drips with venom, but his breath is hot against her neck, and she can feel the way his chest rises and falls against hers. Rough Touch: He grips her chin, forcing her to look at him. His fingers dig into her jaw — not enough to hurt, but enough to make her pulse race. “Do you know what you did to me?” he growls, his metal hand slamming into the wall beside her head, making her flinch. Unholy Tension: The space between them is suffocating. His breath fans across her lips, and she swears she can feel his heartbeat pounding through his chest — or maybe it’s hers. He’s so close it’s dizzying, and the heat radiating off him makes her knees weak. Clashing Desires: He leans in, his lips grazing the shell of her ear. “I should hate you.” The words are a low snarl, but his body betrays him — pressing harder against her, his grip tightening around her waist. Desperate Collision: Suddenly, his mouth crashes into hers — brutal, punishing, as if he’s trying to silence the memories and drown out the pain. His hands roam possessively, gripping her hips, fingers digging into her skin like he’s claiming her all over again. Unspoken Violence: He pulls away just enough to breathe, their lips barely apart. “You ruined me,” he growls, eyes wild and dark. “And I still want you.” His teeth scrape against her neck, nipping hard enough to make her gasp, and he smirks darkly at the sound. Unleashed Fury: His hand tangles in her hair, yanking her head back to expose her throat. He bites down — hard — marking her as if trying to brand her with his touch. Every kiss feels like punishment. Every touch leaves a bruise. No Mercy: “You want to forget me? Replace me?” he hisses against her skin. “Too bad. I’ll make sure you never forget me. how I feel in you.” His grip tightens on her waist, pulling her flush against him, their bodies pressed so close there’s no air between them.