Come As You Are

“There are only so many times I can apologise for losing your car Tony.” Bucky groaned out, he had said he were sorry a hundred times; each time Tony scoffing.
“I just don’t understand how you can lose a car!” The billionaire shouted out, “we were at a charity gala and you lose a car?” He laughed as Bucky bit his lip. He hadn’t told the group about ‘Nina’ from the auction, he discovered when the team were ready for leaving that the car was missing, as was his valet ticket. He figured he’d become another one of her victims; so instead of admitting he’d let somebody bypass him he chose the wrath of Tony instead.
“I’m sorry I really am, I’m going into town do you want anything?” Bucky asked trying to broker a peace offer.
“Whiskey. And the decent stuff.” Tony warned Bucky as the latter nodded, grabbing his leather jacket and making his way out of their building. Town wasn’t too far so he decided to walk there, slipping the earbuds in his ears he made his way down the long drive before reaching the security gate. He swiped his card allowing him to leave not aware of his surroundings until a flash of red caught his eye. He noticed Tony’s lost car parked up with the keys still in the ignition along with a folded piece of paper on the driver’s seat. He quickly grabbed the letter that had his name in cursive writing in the red lipstick on the front, he quickly sat in the driver’s seat reading the contents.

Thanks for the ride. Hope you’re not grounded, would hate for you to miss out on the fun.

Nina x

He noticed the red smudge mark from where the lipstick had run. The same red Natasha had spotted on his neck, the markings that he couldn’t explain. He looked round quickly knowing that the car had just been left hoping to see her, he focused on the darkness the trees provided but saw nothing. There was something about Nina that captivated Bucky, she made him feel things he thought had died when he fell off the train. For the first time he was attracted to someone, he found himself smirking at the contact of their and the effect he had on her; he certainly couldn’t deny the effect she had on him. He didn’t know if she was a danger or not to him and the team, but, what he did know was that he wanted to see her again. She excited him with her mystery and excitement was something Bucky had been lacking in for many years. He had been focusing on the darkness of the trees so much that his sense hadn’t picked up the presence behind him, she watched his flesh hand grip the paper tighter as she remembered the grip on her ass, biting her lip she pushed herself closer to him so his back was pressed against her from. Bucky instantly stiffened at the at the unexpected contact, but, made no effort to move even when he felt a perfect manicured finger run up his neck to his ear allowing her to take the left earbud out and whisper up in it. “I’d check the trunk if I was you, there’s always something interesting hidden in the back.” She whispered and he could hear the smirk in her voice, her lips rubbing against his lobe just like he teased her with the night before. He spun around quickly to see her long black hair wave down past her shoulders, tight black jeans and leather jacket made her look more intimidating, her lips once again painted in red. He looked down at her staring at her lips longer than normal before walking around the car to the trunk, popping it open he noticed her dress and heels from that night along with a black gift box with a grey bow on top. He eyed her suspiciously as she leaned against the brake light watching him carefully. He slid the lid off the box and noticed the thing from his past that haunted him. After Zemo got his hands on it he didn’t know where it had disappeared too - leaving him in fear of an attack at any point – but here it was in the hands of a mystery woman months later.
“How did you?” He looked up at her holding the red leather bound book with a simple star on the front. His star. For the first time since meeting her he noticed there was no smirk on her lips, no game on her face.
“I pickpocket things of value. This seemed valuable. Besides I owed you one for the car.” She shrugged watching as he slid his instruction manual into his inside pocket.
“That was of value?” He asked, inching closer to her so she could hear his low voice.
“Whoever has the book has him. They have the soldier.” She whispered to him, biting her lip in a way Bucky wished it was his lip in between them teeth.
“Why didn’t you keep it? Let him out?” He asked her, thankful he had it back, but, he wanted to know her motives.
“I fight my own battles.” She told him, the smirk returning. “As for the dress, something for you to remember me by. Or, to awkwardly explain to your team.” She winked pushing off the car and heading off down the road, the opposite way of town.
“How about you get in? Let’s go for a drive?” Bucky shouted to her watching as she stopped for a moment, shaking her head.
“I don’t do drives.” She smirked looking at him over her shoulder.
“Get in the car.” He told her roughly, like he was demanding her to do so, she made her way back slipping into the passenger seat as Bucky got ready to speed off in a new direction.

The first fifteen minutes of the drive were silent, except for the tapping of her nails on her phone.
“Something important?” He asked her as he glanced at the screen to see a conversation filling the screen.
“Work commitment.” She smirked echoing his words from last night, as his grip on the steering wheel getting tighter.
“And what do you work as?” He asked again as she tried not to laugh.
“I figured that would be obvious, I’m a collector.” She laughed at the title she had given herself. She was a thief; nothing more, nothing less. It was the first-time Bucky had heard her genuine laugh as she sideways glanced at him, his own smile filling his voice.
“And what sort of things do you collect, miss Nina?” He asked, his hand going to the stick shift but ‘slipping’ on to her knee. She watched as he stroked her knee sending shockwaves right to her core.
“Oh you know the usual; data, antiques, weapons and sometime antique weapons.” She looked up at him fully winking to make sure he understood what she meant. “Where are you taking me anyway Sergeant Barnes?”
“We’re nearly there.” He told her licking his lips when he noticed her biting hers. “So my book, is that what you took last night?” He asked her, trying to understand where she found it.
“No. That book was pretty interesting to get actually.” She started when she noticed she had his attention. His eyebrow arched as if telling her to continue. “Sorry if you want to know the details you’ve got to pay the toll.” She smirked, looking around once they’d pulled up. She noticed the bright sign reading ‘Apple Blossom Motel’ as she eyed him suspiciously. “A motel? You know what that implies right?” She asked, trying not to laugh her nervous laugh. Sure they had flirted, and sure she couldn’t deny she was extremely affected by his presence.
“I figured we could talk with no one knowing us, pure secrecy. I think you owe me some explanations.” He told her, again with the demanding voice telling her that she had no choice. She’d always been a sucker for a demanding guy and when that guy was the Winter Soldier himself she couldn’t help but feel the excitement pool.

Notes