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Not Easily Conquered
In 1945, Steve Rogers jumps from a nosediving plane and swims through miles of Arctic Ocean to a frozen shore.
In 1947, Steve Rogers marries Peggy Carter.
In 1966, the New York Times finds the lost letters of Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.
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Womb to tomb, sweetheart.
----------------------
“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” Peggy says, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”
In 1947, Steve Rogers marries Peggy Carter.
In 1966, the New York Times finds the lost letters of Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.
-------------------------
Womb to tomb, sweetheart.
----------------------
“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” Peggy says, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”
- GenresFan FictionQueerMarvel
392 pages, ebook
Published July 7, 2015
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 6, 2022
In 1945, Bucky Barnes falls from a train in the Alps, the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country. Later that same year, Steve Rogers jumps from a plane and swims to shore in freezing waters. In 1947, he marries Peggy Carter. In 1966, thirteen love letters written by Bucky Barnes are discovered and sensationalized, and Steve’s marriage fractures. Decades later, separated from his wife, he discovers the identity of the Winter Soldier. Canon-typical triggers, including: death/character death, torture, blood/gore, severe injury, brain-washing, war, captivity, guns, violence, needles, homophobia, racism, grief. You can read it on AO3.
Sometimes I read a novel that’s so well-crafted and so beautifully written that I think no matter how good I get at this, I will never be able to write something this good. I’ve long thought that a lot of fanfiction is better than some published novels, but this is the first time I’ve ever had that feeling about a fic. No matter how good I get at writing, I’ll never be able to write something this beautiful, and that’s okay because dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears have already done it. Agree or disagree with the ships or the plot choices, I think everyone can agree that the writing in Not Easily Conquered is poetic and heartfelt, and it has hands down some of the best quotes about love I’ve ever read in my life. Since AO3 still won’t let me underline things, I kept a list in my notes of all my favorite lines that ended up being over two pages. I wrote them on my whiteboard, sent them to my Marvel partner in suffering; people translate this fic into other languages and get these words tattooed on their bodies–that’s how beautiful they are. Whatever Ellen and Emily are up to these days, I hope they’re still writing. 10/10 would buy your novels. 💛
The story is ambitiously plotted and spans a number of decades, following Steve through the discovery of Bucky’s love letters in the sixties through the Vietnam War to his learning that Bucky is the Winter Soldier and moving up the timeline on CA:TWS a bit. I really enjoyed this alternate imagining of a Steve who did get to go home after the war, marry his best girl, and have a life, and… it goes about the way anyone with a clear understanding of Steve’s character imagines it would. (Sorry, I got distracted giving that Endgame Steve pod person the evil eye). He might not fit into the twenty-first century, but he didn’t fit that well in his own time either, and it’s hard to watch a character I love flounder so hard in a world that doesn’t seem to have a place for him anymore. He’s so lost for so much of the story.
I’m a Stucky shipper from way back, so The Thirteen Letters was easily my favorite section in the trilogy. Bucky’s voice is perfectly captured, and there’s enough pining and angst in there to fuel a fandom for decades. It’s also so much fun to get a closer look at the Howling Commandos in that section; Jim Morita is a prince, and you can’t change my mind. Peggy is more difficult to pin down, given that she does a lot of questionable things in this story (and in the MCU, if we’re being honest), but I enjoy her complicated characterization. I can see it being a problem for Steggy antis though because there is a lot of Steggy in this fic. I’m not personally a fan, but I think it works for the purposes of the story, and I’m in love with their daughter, Katherine. I also loved Natasha’s characterization and the creative ways other characters like Tony Stark and Nick Fury are worked into the plot. In the ice for seventy years or not, some people are just meant to be in the same story. I blew through it in about two days, and the only thing I wanted to do when I finished was start it over again immediately.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
Sometimes I read a novel that’s so well-crafted and so beautifully written that I think no matter how good I get at this, I will never be able to write something this good. I’ve long thought that a lot of fanfiction is better than some published novels, but this is the first time I’ve ever had that feeling about a fic. No matter how good I get at writing, I’ll never be able to write something this beautiful, and that’s okay because dropdeaddream & WhatAreFears have already done it. Agree or disagree with the ships or the plot choices, I think everyone can agree that the writing in Not Easily Conquered is poetic and heartfelt, and it has hands down some of the best quotes about love I’ve ever read in my life. Since AO3 still won’t let me underline things, I kept a list in my notes of all my favorite lines that ended up being over two pages. I wrote them on my whiteboard, sent them to my Marvel partner in suffering; people translate this fic into other languages and get these words tattooed on their bodies–that’s how beautiful they are. Whatever Ellen and Emily are up to these days, I hope they’re still writing. 10/10 would buy your novels. 💛
The story is ambitiously plotted and spans a number of decades, following Steve through the discovery of Bucky’s love letters in the sixties through the Vietnam War to his learning that Bucky is the Winter Soldier and moving up the timeline on CA:TWS a bit. I really enjoyed this alternate imagining of a Steve who did get to go home after the war, marry his best girl, and have a life, and… it goes about the way anyone with a clear understanding of Steve’s character imagines it would. (Sorry, I got distracted giving that Endgame Steve pod person the evil eye). He might not fit into the twenty-first century, but he didn’t fit that well in his own time either, and it’s hard to watch a character I love flounder so hard in a world that doesn’t seem to have a place for him anymore. He’s so lost for so much of the story.
I’m a Stucky shipper from way back, so The Thirteen Letters was easily my favorite section in the trilogy. Bucky’s voice is perfectly captured, and there’s enough pining and angst in there to fuel a fandom for decades. It’s also so much fun to get a closer look at the Howling Commandos in that section; Jim Morita is a prince, and you can’t change my mind. Peggy is more difficult to pin down, given that she does a lot of questionable things in this story (and in the MCU, if we’re being honest), but I enjoy her complicated characterization. I can see it being a problem for Steggy antis though because there is a lot of Steggy in this fic. I’m not personally a fan, but I think it works for the purposes of the story, and I’m in love with their daughter, Katherine. I also loved Natasha’s characterization and the creative ways other characters like Tony Stark and Nick Fury are worked into the plot. In the ice for seventy years or not, some people are just meant to be in the same story. I blew through it in about two days, and the only thing I wanted to do when I finished was start it over again immediately.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
Read
December 8, 2024mind your damn business!!
August 19, 2024
literally no words. None. Holy shit.
February 5, 2025
okay this is my favorite piece of media I have ever consumed at any capacity so I'm adding it to my goodreads
my favorite quotes for poops and giggles
"bone of my bones. were you taken from my rib? you must have been, or maybe I was made from yours."
"the closest I've ever been to the Garden of Eden is the genesis on the battlefield when the shrapnel still falling like hail on a tin roof."
"I wont be in the history books; that's for you. But I loved you first. As long as they get that right, I don't care what they say."
"its why the grave couldn't keep me in, sweetheart. Its how you even found me again at all. The fact of us is simple arithmetic."
"So how long have I loved you for? Womb to tomb sweetheart. Since before I was even here at all."
"Today I can see all the way to the truth I'll know at the end of the world."
"So if we ever get out of this frozen wet hell were going out to the Grand Canyon, I tell you, I dream of the Grand Canyon."
"Ave MAria, gratia plena, get him out of this war, and if you've gotta take someone then take me."
"And then his wings melted all the way and he fell miles and miles into the ocean and brained himself on a stupid rock, that poor stupid asshole."
my favorite quotes for poops and giggles
"bone of my bones. were you taken from my rib? you must have been, or maybe I was made from yours."
"the closest I've ever been to the Garden of Eden is the genesis on the battlefield when the shrapnel still falling like hail on a tin roof."
"I wont be in the history books; that's for you. But I loved you first. As long as they get that right, I don't care what they say."
"its why the grave couldn't keep me in, sweetheart. Its how you even found me again at all. The fact of us is simple arithmetic."
"So how long have I loved you for? Womb to tomb sweetheart. Since before I was even here at all."
"Today I can see all the way to the truth I'll know at the end of the world."
"So if we ever get out of this frozen wet hell were going out to the Grand Canyon, I tell you, I dream of the Grand Canyon."
"Ave MAria, gratia plena, get him out of this war, and if you've gotta take someone then take me."
"And then his wings melted all the way and he fell miles and miles into the ocean and brained himself on a stupid rock, that poor stupid asshole."
February 6, 2025
I’ve never sobbed harder. I’ll come back when I’m able to see my phone screen.
update I still can't see through my tears but wow. I've only been moved by a written work like I was by this piece like three other times in my almost 20 years of living. and shut the fuck up - yes it's fanfiction but that does not discredit this work. it's so gut-wrenchingly real and sweet and sickly and hard - but god it's so real. it's the perseverance of love and the struggles of identity. it's true and honest and scary and I never stopped crying I don't think. this work is so innately human my heart hurt.
everyone should read this. I don't care if you don't read fanfiction, I don't care if you don't like the couple paired in it. it's too beautiful to miss out on.
update I still can't see through my tears but wow. I've only been moved by a written work like I was by this piece like three other times in my almost 20 years of living. and shut the fuck up - yes it's fanfiction but that does not discredit this work. it's so gut-wrenchingly real and sweet and sickly and hard - but god it's so real. it's the perseverance of love and the struggles of identity. it's true and honest and scary and I never stopped crying I don't think. this work is so innately human my heart hurt.
everyone should read this. I don't care if you don't read fanfiction, I don't care if you don't like the couple paired in it. it's too beautiful to miss out on.
December 14, 2021
Everyone should read this
August 20, 2025
I've read this about four times fully (not counting the times I've sobbed just reading the thirteen letters) and I am not ashamed of that. This is my favorite thing I've ever read. Sorry to The Poppy War but I can't even lie about this. WhatAreFears and dropdeaddream are genuinely literary icons to me.
I can't even say enough good things about this fic. NEED to print this out but I'm concerned of how much paper I would use, so trust I'm getting this professionally bound someday.
And yes I did add it to my favorites list mind your damn business!! If you don't get it you don't get it!!!
my favorite quotes from the letters because I can this is MY internet and they've literally been engraved on my heart i would totally get a tattoo from this fic like this is so serious.
------------------------------------
"Womb to tomb, sweetheart." (it had to be first)
"I'm no good at watching you walk away from me."
"You piss me off so God damn much. Jesus Roosevelt Christ. I’ve got your number, you reckless fucking dumbass."
"The God’s honest truth is that I ain’t ever gonna love again. She’s your true north. I know what that means, because you’re mine."
"The closest I’ve ever been to the Garden of Eden is the genesis on the battlefield when the shrapnel’s still falling like hail on a tin roof. "
"Bone of my bones. Were you taken from my rib?"
"That I’m being noble and doing it for you, when really I’m just being scared, and can’t do it to myself."
"I bought an orange. You smiled at me. And Jesus Christ, it was fantastic."
(i could just paste the entire tenth - thirteenth letters here but that would ruin the point. i wonder if i can keep this review private)
and finally.
"I know when to walk away from a fight and trying my damnedest not to need him was a losing battle. I won’t be in the history books; that’s for you. But I loved you first. As long as they get that right, I don’t care what they say."
-----------------------------------------
(sorry to any of my friends who read this and have had to hear about this fic for literal years. i have been talking about this for YEARS. this fic taught me about the american crisis by thomas paine which helped me get extra credit on an english quiz last year. we sang ave maria in choir and every single time i recited the closing of the thirteenth letter. i think i cried more over this than wandavision so yeah. i love fanfiction and i love media and i love public creativity and shared spaces and this is so beautiful i'm gonna stop yapping now cause no one's probably reading this but like no words can describe how much i love this masterpiece.)
I can't even say enough good things about this fic. NEED to print this out but I'm concerned of how much paper I would use, so trust I'm getting this professionally bound someday.
And yes I did add it to my favorites list mind your damn business!! If you don't get it you don't get it!!!
my favorite quotes from the letters because I can this is MY internet and they've literally been engraved on my heart i would totally get a tattoo from this fic like this is so serious.
------------------------------------
"Womb to tomb, sweetheart." (it had to be first)
"I'm no good at watching you walk away from me."
"You piss me off so God damn much. Jesus Roosevelt Christ. I’ve got your number, you reckless fucking dumbass."
"The God’s honest truth is that I ain’t ever gonna love again. She’s your true north. I know what that means, because you’re mine."
"The closest I’ve ever been to the Garden of Eden is the genesis on the battlefield when the shrapnel’s still falling like hail on a tin roof. "
"Bone of my bones. Were you taken from my rib?"
"That I’m being noble and doing it for you, when really I’m just being scared, and can’t do it to myself."
"I bought an orange. You smiled at me. And Jesus Christ, it was fantastic."
(i could just paste the entire tenth - thirteenth letters here but that would ruin the point. i wonder if i can keep this review private)
and finally.
"I know when to walk away from a fight and trying my damnedest not to need him was a losing battle. I won’t be in the history books; that’s for you. But I loved you first. As long as they get that right, I don’t care what they say."
-----------------------------------------
(sorry to any of my friends who read this and have had to hear about this fic for literal years. i have been talking about this for YEARS. this fic taught me about the american crisis by thomas paine which helped me get extra credit on an english quiz last year. we sang ave maria in choir and every single time i recited the closing of the thirteenth letter. i think i cried more over this than wandavision so yeah. i love fanfiction and i love media and i love public creativity and shared spaces and this is so beautiful i'm gonna stop yapping now cause no one's probably reading this but like no words can describe how much i love this masterpiece.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2025
What the actual freak. Whhat. What. I will be chasing this high forever. This caused me to revert back to my 13 year old self reading fanfic at 2am giggling and kicking my feet omg.
Those letters are the peak of romance. as they say “f—k Romeo and Juliet I want what these b!tches have” like actually what the heck.
How do I tell people a Stucky fanfiction from 2014 changed the trajectory of my life forever?
How do I tell people this line is not from a beloved literary classic but instead ao3?
“The closest I’ve ever been to the Garden of Eden is the genesis on the battlefield when the shrapnel’s still falling like hail on a tin roof.”
Like what. WHAT.
Me when letter 10: 😭😭😭🫠
I can’t figure out how to add reaction images but if you look up marvel reaction pics on Pinterest just know that I felt all of those emotions reading.
The way Steve and Peggy are written???? OH MY WORD chefs kiss 10/10. Love Natasha in this love Bucky (when do I not love Bucky tho let’s be so for real). I love when authors study history to write historically accurate fanfiction I absolutely love it.
I don’t think I can put into words how this made me feel I don’t think I can write a review to do it justice.
Im genuinely gagged.
The way the fake tweets and news interviews are formatted is so real and immersive I swear someone’s gonna talk about marvel to me and I’m gonna be like “remember 😣 the thirteen😭😭 letters 🤓 !!” and they’re gonna think they’re insane. This was gut wrenching well written so compelling. I actually was scandalized when the letters were leaked as if it were happening in real life. I love how queer history is woven through the story! Like 😣 guys 😖 what the f!! 🤯🤯😤😤
Me when Bucky 😭😭😭😭 me when Steve 😭😭😭 me when everyone he loves ages but Steve stays the same 😭😭😭😭 me when Bucky loved Steve and Steve loved Bucky 🤯😭😭😭
In short, loved it beyond words would recommend to anyone cause it did actually (for REALSIES) change my life and it’s probably one of the best fanfics I’ve ever read!
Those letters are the peak of romance. as they say “f—k Romeo and Juliet I want what these b!tches have” like actually what the heck.
How do I tell people a Stucky fanfiction from 2014 changed the trajectory of my life forever?
How do I tell people this line is not from a beloved literary classic but instead ao3?
“The closest I’ve ever been to the Garden of Eden is the genesis on the battlefield when the shrapnel’s still falling like hail on a tin roof.”
Like what. WHAT.
Me when letter 10: 😭😭😭🫠
I can’t figure out how to add reaction images but if you look up marvel reaction pics on Pinterest just know that I felt all of those emotions reading.
The way Steve and Peggy are written???? OH MY WORD chefs kiss 10/10. Love Natasha in this love Bucky (when do I not love Bucky tho let’s be so for real). I love when authors study history to write historically accurate fanfiction I absolutely love it.
I don’t think I can put into words how this made me feel I don’t think I can write a review to do it justice.
Im genuinely gagged.
The way the fake tweets and news interviews are formatted is so real and immersive I swear someone’s gonna talk about marvel to me and I’m gonna be like “remember 😣 the thirteen😭😭 letters 🤓 !!” and they’re gonna think they’re insane. This was gut wrenching well written so compelling. I actually was scandalized when the letters were leaked as if it were happening in real life. I love how queer history is woven through the story! Like 😣 guys 😖 what the f!! 🤯🤯😤😤
Me when Bucky 😭😭😭😭 me when Steve 😭😭😭 me when everyone he loves ages but Steve stays the same 😭😭😭😭 me when Bucky loved Steve and Steve loved Bucky 🤯😭😭😭
In short, loved it beyond words would recommend to anyone cause it did actually (for REALSIES) change my life and it’s probably one of the best fanfics I’ve ever read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2021
There are some typos or weird sentences here and there but nothing more that I would complain of. I appreciate the amount of research that was made for this; I learned a lot. It was lovely and pulling and a story that they deserve. Your words and humor made it all the better.
Yeah, I’m way too emotionally invested in this, but I don’t regret it.
Yeah, I’m way too emotionally invested in this, but I don’t regret it.
December 7, 2021
well damn okay then
September 8, 2025
It was time for my regularly scheduled re-read of this fanfiction, which happens every approximately 2.5 years. I'll always be thankful to the authors for getting me hooked on Steve/Bucky when I was 17 but I'll also never forgive them for it. Genuinely though this fic is one of my favourite things I've ever read and I hope the authors are still writing because they're so talented they could be writing bestsellers fr
March 24, 2021
yearly nec re read finished. i cried once again
July 4, 2024
This is the only way I will learn history
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews