This idea has been on my mind since September, because I've always wanted to try my hand on a WinterWidow fic. Natasha/Bucky as a couple have a history in the comics, having been in an on-and-off relationship and the two share a lot of common, as the two were transformed into killers on behalf of HYDRA and are on the path of redemption as they join the Avengers. I was disappointed that the movies never even delved into that relationship, since it could have developed Natasha's character further, since she had mentioned encountering him in The Winter Soldier and had recognized him in Civil War.
This fic takes place after Avengers: Endgame, but instead of Steve traveling back to 1949, he heads to 2014 Vormir and brings back Natasha with him after returning the Soul Stone, similar to Aragorn II Elessar's "The End of The Line".
Disclaimer: I do not own the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It belongs to Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige.
Tulum, Mexico
A taxi pulled over to a car park in Downtown Tulum as Natasha and Bucky exited from the back door and looked at the place where they were staying. Bucky was clad in a pair of khaki shorts, light blue Hawaiian shirt and a pair of sandals while Natasha wore a bohemian beach dress with her black string bikini underneath. After Steve Rogers had brought her back to the land of the living upon trading the Soul Stone for her life, Natasha had reunited with Bucky, who had helped her adjust to being alive again and remembered their past together, such as the romance they had developed during their time at the Red Room, and the two had decided to take a vacation together following Thanos' defeat.
After Natahsa and Bucky got out of the car, the cab driver then got out of the car and helped Natasha and Bucky with taking their luggage out of the trunk before Natasha handed the money to the cab driver.
"Muchas gracias," The cab driver told Natasha. "Qué tengan un buen día."
"Usted también," Natasha said in Spanish.
As the cap driver drove away from the car park, Bucky and Natasha grabbed their luggage and entered the beach hotel, where they had planned staying there during their vacation. Upon entering, Bucky and Natasha were greeted by the hotel receptionist, who had noticed them walking down the hotel.
"Bienvenido," The receptionist greeted Bucky and Natasha. "Por favor, dejenme acompañarles a vuestro sala."
The receptionist then grabbed some of Bucky and Natasha's luggage and escorted Bucky and Natasha to their room, opening the door and placing the luggage on the floor. As the receptionist left the room, Bucky and Natasha placed their remaining luggage on the floor and looked around the place; though the room was small and empty, it exuberated an aura of warmth and comfort, making it easy for Bucky and Natasha to stay. The room had a large bedroom with four pillows placed around each other, a small dining room with two wooden chairs and a table placed in between and a couch as well as large high-def TV placed above the wall, a small fridge, a bathroom with a bathtub, an open window that showed the beautiful indoor view and an indoor swimming pool for a night swin. The interior design had a bohemian feel to it, giving it the vibes of a small hut than a private property. As they looked around the room, Bucky knew they had picked the perfect place to rent during their vacation and couldn't wait to spend some quality time with Natasha.
"Well, looks like we've picked quite the place to stay in," Bucky pointed out before he turned around to Natasha and reached for a kiss. "How about we get to the point right now?"
Natasha giggled as she placed her hand on Bucky's lips, preventing him from kissing her, and pushed him away. "Slow down, Barnes. We'll get there eventually."
"Fair enough," Bucky remarked.
After placing their luggage inside their room, Bucky and Natasha walked down the beach and went to a small bar nearby, sitting down and ordering a couple of mojitos. While the bartender was making the mojitos by mixing mint and white rum soda, Bucky and Natasha locked their eyes and smiled to each other as they sensed a surge of emotions rushing through them, having not felt it since they were lovers back in their Red Room days. The bartender then placed the mojitos on the table next to Bucky and Natasha.
"Aquí están sus bebidas," The bartender told Bucky and Natasha.
"Gracias," Bucky thanked the bartender.
Bucky and Natasha grabbed their drinks and began drinking, while trying to keep their eyes onto each other. While she was drinking her mojito, Natasha looked at the sunrise and the beach around her, noticing how peaceful and joyful it was compared to being in the Red Room or in the Soulworld, which she had felt being as cold and empty as the dark. She had hated being in either place, the loneliness she had endured during her time in these places and the feeling of abandonment in their atmosphere, in contrast to the beach, which was warm and serene, a feeling she had always lounged for. Though she thought sacrificing her life for the Soul Stone in order to defeat Thanos was the right choice, she had realized how much she had missed living during her short time on the Soulworld.
Seeing his lover letting out a small sigh, Bucky put down his drink and looked at her. "You okay?"
Natasha turned around and glanced Bucky. "Yeah. Yeah, It's just..." Natasha swallowed her throat before speaking up. "I've never realized how much peaceful it is here."
Bucky nodded, sharing Natasha's sentiments as he had been brainwashed by HYDRA to become their assassin before he was saved by Steve and had his brainwashing undone by the Wakandan army and had also sought to find inner peace and atone for his actions.
"When Steve came to return the Soul Stone in exchange for my life, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go back there. I thought what had happened couldn't be undone, yet I didn't realize how much Steve and everyone else still needed me," Natasha explained.
"Listen, Nat," Bucky told Natasha as he caressed her hair. "I get why you're feeling lost, 'cause I've been there too. Back when I was brainwashed by HYDRA, I had done so many misdeeds that I still can't forgive myself for, but when Steve reached out to me, he helped me start coming to my senses and make realize the error of my ways. Still, dwelling on what happened in the past is never the answer and you can still find a way to redeem yourself. You told that." Bucky then grabbed Natasha's hand, assuring her that she wouldn't have to go through her journey by herself and minimizing her doubts. "I know this isn't an easy path, but I promise you that you won't go there alone. We still need you."
Comforted by Bucky's words, a smile crept on Natasha's lips. "Thank you, James."
Natasha and Bucky then grabbed their mojitos and drank them, allowing them to enjoy the beverage. Once she finished her mojito, Natasha looked at the beach, sensing the warm summer breeze radiating through the area, and got up from her seat, taking off her beach dress and unveiling her bikini body; for a woman in her age, she still maintained her toned and athletic physique. Admiring the beauty in front of him, Bucky blew out a whistle.
"Hello, bikinis," Bucky quipped, seeing her in a bikini for the first time.
Natasha playfully hit Bucky on the chest and giggled. "Stop it."
"Sorry," Bucky apologized.
"Now then, last one is a rotten egg," Natasha teased.
Natasha quickly made her way to the beach, running through the sand, and dived into the ocean, swimming underwater. Bucky laughed as he observed Natasha taking a dip in the water and couldn't believe that Natasha was being serious about swimming with him. Natasha then emerged from the water, moving her hair forward and taking some breaths as she looked at Bucky from afar and waved her arms in the water.
"What are you for, James?" Natasha called out in a teasing tone. "It's so warm in here."
Bucky chuckled as he saw Natasha swimming and got out of his seat, taking off his shirt and running his way to the beach, before jumping into the ocean and swimming with Natasha. After Bucky joined Natasha, the two then swan together and laughed as they playfully chased each other.
As the dawn seeped through the beach, Bucky and Natasha were sitting on the sand as they watched the sunset, with Natasha resting her head on Bucky's chest as she felt the soft sand on her feet and warmth of her lover's body while Bucky had a towel placed around his shoulders as he kissed Natasha on her head and laying his hand on the scar he accidently gave her on her thigh. Serenity and peace lingered within the beach as Natasha and Bucky were enjoying the sunset. Natasha knew she was safe here, in the arms of her lover and on the beach, compared to the coldness and emptiness she had felt during her time in the Red Room and in the Soulworld.
The next day, Natasha moaned softly as she felt the sunlight shine onto her face through the window and realized she was alone in bed as she felt the silk bedsheets conforming to her body before sniffing the smell of roasted beef and eggs and hearing sizzling across the room. Realizing Bucky might be in the kitchen, Natasha got up from the bed as the blanket fell off her naked body and put on her silk robe and tied to to her waist before walking to the kitchen and seeing Bucky making breakfast for the both of them, being surprised that Bucky was able to do so since she's never seen him make one.
"Hey," Natasha greeted.
"Hey, you're up," Bucky greeted back.
"Didn't know you could cook very well," Natasha teased.
"Sam's sister taught me a bit when we visited her, but I'm still getting the hang of it," Bucky said as he placed the food on the table.
"Well, there's a first time for everything, right?" Natasha told Bucky as she sat down on the table, with Bucky joining her and pouring orange juice into their glasses.
"To us," Bucky said as he raised his glass.
"To us," Natasha said as they clinked their glasses and drank before kissing and then started eating their breakfast.
And that's the end of the story. The scar on Natasha's hip was a result of her getting shot by Bucky when he was the Winter Soldier during her mission to escort a nuclear scientist to Ukraine, which was first mentioned in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The "Hello, Bikinis" quip by Bucky is a direct variation of Natasha's "Bye Bye, Bikinis" from The Winter Soldier. Sam Wilson's sister, Sarah, appears in Falcon and The Winter Soldier and in this story, both Bucky and Natasha had visited Sam's family shortly after Tony Stark's sacrifice in Endgame and Natasha's return from the Soulworld.
Let me know your thoughts on this story and I hope you liked it. Until then, stay safe and take care.