CRAVE - Bucky Barnes x Marvel AU

Part 2

"Wanda..." for once in my life I was speechless. The Hiroshima dress, EXACTLY how I described and pictures to her, was sat on my desk the next morning. Perfection. One key part of my brand is that we hand make everything, Wanda's stitches were pristine and perfect.

"It's incredible, when did you have the time?" I asked, admiring her work along with chunky heeled ankle boots and dainty jewellery.

"I stayed late," she shrugged "then I came in early. I made the jewellery and shoes at home,"

"Well take the rest of the day off, the week for that matter." I smiled once I saw her face light up. I wasn't a cruel, evil, boss woman all the time. I have soft spots.

Wanda seemed to have landed a place straight onto one. I admired her style as she walked out the room, long flowing ginger hair framing her rounded face. She wore a colourful blouse with skinny jeans and red doc martins, with silver and red rings on each finger.

She's unlike the rest of my workers, throwing on as much designer things they can get their hands on. The occasional fake Louis Vuitton bag floats around. I try to treat them the best I can, give them fair salary's and raise them if their designs were constantly being chosen.

I noted down to raise Wanda's salary.

"Honey, you are DESPERATELY needed downstairs," Howard's voice made me look up

"What's wrong?" I frowned, he wasn't looking to cheerful. More like flustered.

"Hela's here."

"Shit."

I was out the door in a moment. Howard led me downstairs to the meeting room. Strictly nobody besides me, Howard and my designers were allowed to the top floor were the workshop and all our designs were. Downstairs though, you'd think you've stepped into another building all together with the bustling atmosphere.

Hela was the CEO of her own fashion brand, Ragnorok. Named after what she claims to be her Ancient Greek ancestors. She'd been asking to collaborate for about a year now- every time I'd said no.

She was wicked, but so am I. But she wasn't just wicked to her designs and the press like me, she was wickedly cruel in character. I, at least, wasn't a complete sociopath. She was. Her designs showed it harshly- it was artistic in a way.

"Hela, how can I help you?" I asked sitting down with Howard and her assistant on the table. It was more of a statement. She knew what I would end up telling her in the end.

"I have something you may like," she slid a piece of paper across the table. Her voice was deep and booming, she eyed me with her emerald eyes, contrasting over flat black hair and ivory skin. She was beautiful in a way you wouldn't expect.

I looked at the sketch. Haute couture, Crave only did that once a year. We hadn't already and it was winter, Hela had set me up with no excuses. It was the style of a stag, black antlers headdress and a long black widow like veil, it was dark. Except for crystals dotted all over it.

"Wouldn't Delevinge look stunning closing our show with this? We could have two catwalk, one of my winter collection, one of yours. The only thing we collaborate on is this."

"No." I said out of nowhere "I've told you many times before, I won't work with Ragnorok." I slides the paper back to her. Missing it already.

"And why the hell not?" She snapped at me "I mean just one little night where you snapped-"

"Get out." I ordered, not meeting her eye. I won't talk about this.

She said nothing, scrunched her design in a ball and dropped it onto the corridor as she strutted out. I sighed.

"You need to do it, you know." Howard told me "I've had countless emails from the press wanting to know your response to her!"

"Would you forgive her if she did to you what she did to me?" My voice was stern, dark at recalling the memories. Only Howard knew, nobody else in my life did. I've shut the past out.

"Don't, honey. Don't put yourself there again." He gave her hand a comforting squeeze "it's been ten years. You're living your life to the fullest- what more could you want? A fashion empire? The world's best assistant? That car you have cleaned everyday?"

I smiled at his attempt to cheer me up, it always worked. I know I've changed since what happened, it was my choice to do so. I was once a bright, bubbly, art student who sold embroidered shirts from Instagram. In crazy debt from only just getting into Oxford. But once Hela came into my life... she was the thunder cloud that blew my rainbow away.

"It's Wanda, isn't it?" Howard read my mind

"What do you mean?"

"She's got a soft spot on you."

"Only because she's a brilliant designer-"

"Because she reminds you of you, she reminds you of what your life was like."

I knew he was right, Wanda was like the rainbow coming back. I just needed to work on blocking out the storm.

"So, what brand?" Howard snapped my attention back to focus

"How about..." I thought for a moment "not a big brand, maybe just find a couple at Camden Market."