Sleeping with a Friend (Post Breath of Life)
A/N: Seems music is inspiring me as of late. This came to me after hearing "Sleeping with a Friend" by Neon Trees.
The gathering at the bar a few nights ago had been the perfect pressure release they needed. Sharon began to warm up to Steve genuinely while Natasha observed with barely contained glee. They made such a handsome pair, she squealed to herself. After months of nagging, suggesting and insinuating, it appeared her diabolical plan was in the works, even if Steve needed work on his kissing. James was still reticent and Natasha knew why. They had crossed paths before in a darker, more sinister time, but it wasn't clear if he remembered. Watching him carefully from across the table, sipping his beer, she could see the heaviness of being the Winter Solider was not off him yet. She remembered some smoldering feelings that at once time had been a flame, between them but he obviously didn't, which made her slightly blue. Sparks of the real Bucky; the man she never knew when they worked together, flared here and there and her new attraction to him blossomed. Perhaps the Widow would have to court this potential suitor.
Barnes heard the alarm in the bedroom next to his. Steve was up for his running regimen at 4 am. He claimed that the early morning air was better for him before the air pollution levels increased and the likelihood of a fanboy or girl hounding him was less. Regardless, every morning, he heard the super soldier rise like a rooster to greet the dawn.
Rolling over with a groan, he tried to drift back to sleep. Steve thumped around getting dressed and the water through the old pipes from his brushing teeth made a soothing sound. Eventually,
Barnes heard keys and the door close and lock. His pillow was bunched just enough the wrong way, James would have to wake up fully to fix it. Attempting to ignore it, he kept his eyes closed hoping sleep would come again.
A chime suddenly filled the room making him bolt upright. He forgot to turn the volume down on his cell phone, not to mention he was not still used to cell phones, like Steve was. Panic made his heart race but he quickly pushed that feeling away seeing the small screen lit in the darkness. Surprisingly, he realized he was holding a dagger in his left hand, as if by reflex. When did that get there? He pondered calmly, making a note not to leave weapons in his bedroom at night, lest he hurt someone.
Sheathing the weapon, he swung his feet around to touch the cool wood floor, which creaked. The phone had a text from Natasha. After he'd seen her a few nights ago with Steve she felt familiar, but he wasn't sure how. But there was no denying that she was a knockout dame and apparently had something for him.
"Bucky, you and Natasha really hit it off tonight." Cap commented dryly with a sly smile as they walked home from the bar.
"Nah. I'm not ready for that. Yet." Barnes returned, a warning look in his eye.
"Wait. Did the world just end? Did I just hear the infamous James Buchanan Barnes tell me he's not ready for a date?" Steve feigned a wound to the chest, staggering back a few steps.
"Shut up, wingnut." Bucky snarled, but Rogers could see the color rise in his cheeks as if he was a fresh-faced teenager with his first flirt.
"You gotta crush on her, don't you?" Steve pressed as they stood looking at each other under the light of a street lamp, pooling shadows around their feet.
"No. I don't. Leave it." Bucky warned one more time. He felt the left hand clenching, threatening to engage the mechanical bionics.
The ebullience of the night made Steve forget his friends' still-fresh mental wounds. He pushed further, "You know, her kisses are just knock out."
Bucky launched himself at Steve but Rogers could still read his best friends' body language like a book and stepped aside. James almost crashed through the brick wall, but instead pivoted to face Cap, the look of a killer on his face.
"Whoa. Whoa. Bucky, I am sorry. Really. I went to far." Rogers pleaded hands raised in supplication, " That was really low of me."
Bucky was breathing heavily and he gradually saw the red fade from his vision, "Ok."
"Let's go home." Steve said and they said nothing to each other the rest of the way home.
Since that night, Bucky actually had talked to Natasha a few times via email, which she showed him how to use. And then the random texts came, usually asking how he was feeling. James had to admit; it was nice to have someone else asking about his health or well being besides Steve or Sam. Her messages were always warm, kind and occasionally flirty. They made him feel in ways he had not in a very long time, as if he was back in high school trying to catch the eye of the cheerleaders again. Instead of being ninety something years old, he felt closer to sixteen. Sleep came easier and his nightmares were receding since she had begun to reach out to him.
The first coffee together was at that place that made over priced joe. After grumbling about the price, she listened attentively to him talk about the little diner down the street from his house in 1940 and how great their coffee was for a nickel. He noticed his belly was getting warm and his jitters were not from the caffeine.
Because of this, he was not surprised to see her text at 4 am. "What are you doing?" she asked.
He carefully responded, trying not to let autocorrect fill in for him, "Not sleeping."
"Obviously. Alone?" she replied quickly.
"Yes. Steve is running." was his meticulous reply. Typing was never his strong suit.
"Good. Bye." was the cryptic response. Bucky looked at his phone quizzically. What was she up to?
A soft tap at the glass window made him startle, whipping around to the glass pane where the fire escape had a folded ladder. Natasha crouched there, smiling, her red hair backlit by the street lamps below like a fiery halo. Bucky was surprised to see her there and he suddenly was acutely aware he was half naked. Some modest habits from the old days just didn't die in James despite the gobs of flesh modern folks were apparently used to showing off these days.
"You gonna leave me out here?" she said teasingly, trying to keep her eyes on his, and not the rest of him.
Forgetting his shirtlessness, he got up awkwardly like a schoolboy and unlatched the window. Ducking in, she used his bare shoulders to balance while she entered. Her touch sent tingles down his spine.
"Thanks." She looked him in the eye, her red lipstick highlighting that near constant mischievous smile she wore when she was around him. Bucky kept looking at her, speechless. Natasha smiled warmly, "Sorry for bugging you so early, but I wanted to talk to you alone."
"Alone?" was all Bucky could squeeze out of his throat because her hands were still on his shoulders and he realized his were on her waist. There wasn't much space between them and the room suddenly felt too warm.
"Oh Bucky." Natasha giggled softly and gave him a long peck on his cheek, making him blush hotly, "Ever the gentleman." She disengaged from him and suddenly James felt cold.
"Umm. Yeah. Something like that." Barnes replied as he watched her move around his room like a cat and sit down on his bed.
She reached her hands out to him so he moved towards her. Natasha took his hands in hers, looking up at him with her luminous eyes in the dim light of the approaching dawn, "Bucky. I have a question to ask you. It's a serious one."
He wasn't expecting that from her, so he cleared his throat, "Such as?"
Sitting before him, Romanov realized she wanted very hungrily to devour Barnes's chiseled abs right in front of her, but she held firm to her resolve, "Bucky, do you remember me from a … different time?"
James looked down at her, confused, "What do you mean?" He was acutely aware of their hands still holding each other lightly and it was wonderfully electric.
Natasha stood up and only met his collarbone, "We've worked together. Before."
"Oh." He managed, trying to shove the waves of darkness and guilt that came with that sentence.
"And there was more." she continued, edging in closer to him. She could feel his breath on her face.
"More?" he was half intoxicated by her proximity. The darkness began to recede and filled in with curiosity.
"You and me… we were.. a thing." Natasha reached up and breathed into his ear. Bucky stiffened at her forwardness.
"We were?" he closed his eyes and let her get closer.
"Yes. And I'd like to be that again." She pulled back slightly so she could look into his eyes, uncertain how this could proceed.
Like a rocket going off in his head, it hit him like a hammer. That's where he knew her! Half of him was terrified and elated at the same time. Looking over her head, he tightened his grip on her hands as if she'd disappear.
"Are you ok with that, Bucky?" she asked when he didn't respond, a line of worry between her brows.
Snapping out of his reverie, he looked down at her, his pupils dilated so she could see her reflection in them, "I… I think I'd like that very much." Continuing downward, he kissed her lightly at first then more intensely when she responded.
Wow. She sure can kiss! Steve was right, was a brief thought before he lost himself in the Widow.
Steve stuck his key in the door and the lock slid back. Immediately, he knew something was wrong in the apartment. First, he smelled perfume and secondly he heard someone fumbling around and soft cursing coming from Bucky's room. "Buck? You ok?" Steve said, worriedly walking toward James' bedroom door.
The voices sounded like they were trying to hide something.
"Bucky!" Steve yelled and instead of knocking, he threw the door open, pistol in hand.
"Good grief, Steve, don't you knock?" Widow's outraged voice greeted him as she clutched the bed sheet to herself. Bucky lay next to her, his arms propped up behind his head, the silver one glinting in the early sun, a silly grin on his face.
Steve's eyes immediately went ceiling-ward and his cheeks turned several shades darker. Without a word, he backed out and closed the door. I can't unsee that, ever, he thought to himself and staggered to a chair, despite being covered in sweat from his run.
A riot of giggles could be heard from behind the closed door, one higher pitched than the other. Steve ran a hand through his sweaty hair and stared at the floor, guess that means he's getting better. That was the only good thought he could summon from his shock.
After a few moments, Natasha appeared from the bedroom, dressed and looking as if nothing had ever happened, "Morning, Steve."
Rogers couldn't bear to look at her and kept his eyes on the floor, "Morning, Natasha."
"I'll not disturb you fellas any longer. Have a nice day. I'll see you later, James." She said, clearly enjoying Steve's discomfort. Bucky grinned at her and watched her leave, blowing a kiss at him before she shut the door.
Now that it was just the two of them, Steve looked up at Barnes, his face pale, "Really?"
"Let's just say you were right. She is one heck of a kisser." James replied and swaggered back into his bedroom. Steve realized quickly and with a tinge of nausea that he better get used to housing more than one Avenger in his happy home.