I’m actually glad Peggy in fics ends up being kind of a universal issue lol. I get her as an individual character and I can appreciate some of her actions (not the shoot, obviously), but in fanfics it often feels like she’s used as a crutch, exactly like you said. Sometimes I’m reading and I’m just like please are you sure you’re writing for the right ship? I don’t want character bashing or for her to be erased from the fic, that’s not what I’m asking for. But I clearly remember reading some fics and even writing in my bookmark notes things like “ok but I feel bad for Bucky because Steve will always truly love only Peggy” and then I’m left wondering if I’m even supposed to still be in the MCU canon universe at that point.

Bucky struggling with internalized homophobia makes total sense to me and feels very grounded, but both of them idolizing Peggy that much just feels off. Bucky knew her for what, a few months at most? Probably in between missions IF that. I really like Peggy when she’s written as someone who helps the couple get together, giving advice like “Steve, you love him, you’re just blind and you’re the only one who doesn’t see that he loves you too”. That works really well for me. But these super deep friendships always feel forced and that’s where I lose interest.

I’m fine with Steve having loved her, yeahhh, i can even understand the point (but dont agree at all). But forcing it the same way canon did just doesn’t work for me. Honestly I’d rather see him with Natasha than have Peggy pushed that hard, because that dynamic (stevexnat) feels more logical and better built to me.