I’ve been so very focused on Steve’s reactions to Bucky during the “do you remember me?” exchange, that it’s taken me a while to hone in on Bucky’s reactions to Steve. I hope I’m not committing a faux-pas here by using tumblr’s add-a-gif function for meta/weepy rambling, but LOOK AT THIS:
LOOK AT IT AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN.
The play of emotions across Bucky’s face, just, holy shit – it’s subtle, but it’s everything. He starts out defensive, eyes cast down, mouth tight, hunched in on himself. Yeah, he’s trapped, but he’s also bracing himself. This is a man who’s imagined what seeing Steve again might be like, who has played this moment out over and over again in his head – where he’s been rejected every time.
And then Steve starts talking – doesn’t just say his name, but calls him Buck, with all that warmth and affection. Bucky looks up. His eyes shine; his mouth softens. He’s playing his cards close to his chest, but look at the barely-concealed wonder there. Of all the ways he’s imagined Steve reacting to him – complete and utter acceptance definitely wasn’t one. When you feel ashamed of something – which Bucky, if he’s anything like his comic book counterpart, really, really does – you project that onto the people you love. You picture them hating you for what you’ve done.
I’ve already rambled at length about Bucky’s response to Steve’s question, but I think this might be one of the reasons that Bucky answers in such an intimate way, why he doesn’t just say, “I remember you,” but shows Steve his memories, with that old smirk across his face, like he’s back in that crisp uniform, asking Steve to come out with him for the night. I think this might be one of the reasons that Bucky didn’t want to be found, all that time that Steve was searching.
Bucky never expected Steve to look at him with all that tenderness, to treat him like someone good – he didn’t expect Steve’s love to stay through everything. So yeah, maybe Bucky’s showing off, but it’s because if Steve still thinks he’s worth this, after everything – he’s got to prove Steve right. If he can show Steve that he’s Bucky Barnes, that he’s someone good, maybe one day he’ll believe it himself.
…I don’t understand why people think Steve was emotionally compromised by Bucky (or “blinded by Bucky”) in Civil War. There’s no evidence of it in the plot.
Because, seriously:
Steve said no to the Accords before Bucky even appeared in the movie. His argument centred around how the Accords could exploit the Avengers – Bucky wasn’t even a factor at that point in time.
Steve was in Lagos to stop Rumlow from starting biological warfare. Yes, Rumlow distracted Steve by mentioning Bucky, but the audience knew Rumlow was going to set off the bomb the moment he told his soldiers that he wasn’t going to meet up with them. Steve’s love for Bucky had no involvement in the outcome of this scene, beyond the taunt; the battle had long begun, with civilian casualties already occurring.
When Natasha asked Steve to sign the Accords, Bucky still wasn’t in the picture and Steve still said no. There’s absolutely no evidence of emotional compromise, even though it’s Peggy’s funeral so you expect Steve to be emotional. But he’s not fighting, or arguing, or trying to convince Natasha not to sign. He just says he can’t.
When Steve finds out Bucky is alive, he doesn’t dispute that Bucky bombed the U.N. He says to Natasha “If [Bucky]’s this far gone, I should be the one to bring him in, because I’m the least likely to die trying”. That’s not exactly a statement teeming with emotion. In fact, it’s pretty fucking logical, since Steve broke the Soldier’s trance in CATWS.
Steve stops the government from trying to kill Bucky on sight, but does not stop them from arresting Bucky and doesn’t resist arrest himself. He even tells Bucky ‘this doesn’t have to end in a fight’ in the hopes of peaceful arrest, and shows up to save soldiers’ lives as much as Bucky’s. Steve’s not fighting the government; instead, he asks about a lawyer as they take Bucky away. So, emotionally compromised? Nah.
sleepy supersoldiers round up from twitter, where you can witness my rapidly fraying emotional state and growing inability to draw things that aren’t bucky barnes
A reminder that Sam Wilson was speaking out against the Accords before Steve even opened his mouth once.
A reminder that Bucky Barnes lived a full two years without Steve by his side. He found himself that place in Romania alone. He decorated it alone. He taught himself how to live again alone.
A reminder that Sam and Bucky love Steve very much, but to say that Steve is the catalyst for their actions is reducing the importance of them and taking away from their character traits unfairly.
A reminder that Sam and Bucky have agency outside of Steve.
hannahbelleeeebackup 