WinterWitch: Control

Chapter 32

*WARNING: SMUT*

James POV

As I entered the kitchen to grab something to eat, Wanda was with Darcy, a pitcher of...something in her hand. They were still both in their pyjamas - not exactly party attire. Wanda's cheeks were flushed, probably from the alcohol she had already drunk. I gained some enjoyment from seeing her cheeks flush like that; I wanted to make her heart race. Gritting my teeth, I pushed the intrusive thoughts away.

"Oh come on, please?" Dark pleaded to Steve who was shaking his head. She noticed me enter and her eyes lit up. "James! Please help us convince Steve?"

Wanda glanced at me with a smile before quickly looking away. I wasn't sure whether our interactions would be different after the conversation we had about not continuing this...thing between us. Agreeing to not wanting each other was one thing, but did that mean we wouldn't talk as much? That we would see each other less? What were the rules when it came to this?

Quickly averting my eyes back to Darcy, I realised I hadn't responded to her. "About what?" I asked to their confused expressions. Steve relaxed his eyebrows at my response and cleared his throat.

"They want to try the Asgardian stuff." Steve sighed, shaking his head again. I raised my eyebrows at the women.

"I know, they're crazy," Sam said, his mouth full of the sweet and sour chicken someone had made. I helped myself to some of the food from the pan as they argued. I tried the meal a few years ago and really enjoyed how sugary it was, a luxury I wasn't provided with in the forties or with Hydra.

"We only want a tiny little drop?" Wanda asked, pouting and batting her eyelashes at Steve.

"Buck?"

I swallowed my mouthful of food and shrugged. "Might be funny."

Wanda scowled at me and I just grinned back at her. I felt myself relax, happy to see our dynamic hadn't changed too much. She turned back to Steve. "We have James' blessing, Steve. Give it."

Steve gave me a disappointed look, but reluctantly opened one of the cupboard doors. Darcy squeeled in joy and clapped her hands together.

Sam started laughing and tilted his head. "You do know how strong that is, right?"

"That's why we're only having a drop, silly," Darcy answered and stuck her tongue out at Sam.

"One drop," Steve said, tentatively handing over the vile to them. Darcy took it from him and squeezed a drop into the pitcher of liquid they had - cranberry and orange from what I could smell. She brought up her hand and coughed, squeezing another drop into the container.

"Darcy!" Steve scolded. I smiled at her antics as she shrugged.

"What? I slipped," she answered innocently, handing the vile back to Steve. Darcy picked up the pitcher. "Bye boys." She gave a subtle wink to Sam and blew a kiss to me as I served myself a second portion of food. What a strange woman.

Wanda gave me a small smile and followed Darcy out of the room. I withheld a groan as I watched her walk away in the short pyjama bottoms she was wearing. Averting my eyeline from her body was a restraint I needed to practise. It was a difficult task when her body was so appealing.

"You two on a break or something?" Sam asked as I sat down at the table with them.

"On a break from what?" I asked gruffly and took another mouthful.

"You're full of shit," he added, sipping on a cider he grabbed from the fridge.

I shrugged and moved the food on my plate with my fork. It felt like a break, like everything had been put on pause. I didn't like it. I internally groaned, frustrated at the situation. I didn't want things to be weird.