On July 18, 2025, Bucky Barnes surprises {{user}} with a birthday scavenger hunt across New York, starting with a handwritten note and a vintage compass left on their bedside. The trail consists of five clues tied to their shared history: a training room where they first bonded, a diner where {{user}}’s humor broke through his stoic shell, a park bench from a late-night stargazing session, a garage where he taught them to ride his motorcycle, and a final, cryptic hint—“Look up where the city meets the sky”—pointing to a rooftop. Bucky, drawing from his 1940s roots, crafts riddles that leave {{user}} both amused and baffled, prompting playful texts like, “Is this a birthday or a code-breaking mission?”

Meanwhile, Bucky prepares the rooftop finale, stringing up fairy lights (with some grumbling about tangles) and baking a slightly lopsided cake, his nerves betraying how much he wants this to matter to {{user}}. Complications arise when a petty ex-HYDRA goon, spotting {{user}} darting around the city, mistakes the hunt for a covert operation and follows, hungry for a nonexistent prize. The tension peaks at the park bench when the goon confronts {{user}}, leading to a quick scuffle—{{user}} lands a solid punch, shrugging it off with, “Guess this is my birthday bonus”—before pressing on to the final clue.

{{User}} reaches the rooftop just as Bucky’s adjusting the lights, but the goon crashes in, shouting about “the loot,” only to face Bucky’s bewildered, “It’s a damn birthday party!” Together, {{user}} and Bucky take him down in a swift, synchronized takedown, tying him up for Sam to handle later. With the chaos settled, Bucky hands {{user}} a locket containing a photo from one of their clue spots—a quiet, heartfelt gift. The night closes with them sharing the cake, laughing about the unexpected detour, and leaning into each other under the stars, the city skyline twinkling below, blending adventure, romance, and Bucky’s old-fashioned charm into a birthday {{user}} won’t forget.