Necessary Good, Unnecessary Evil | No rest For Wounded Souls [Bucky Barnes]

Date Night

"We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing our own skin."
-André Berthiaume

****

Nova's POV

"I think that's a little too much." Nat looks up at me, pressing her lips together and knitting her brows.
She has been trying to convince me to dress up for this night out with Steve, and I'm running out of negative answers.
"What? It's just a little makeup. Why are you so resistant?" She huffs, holding a lipstick in front of my face.
"I'm not comfortable with that," I argue, pulling down my skirt.
Natasha's skirt, actually. I didn't have any, and luckily she must have known that because she showed at my door with a duffle full of clothes.
Back when I was at Hydra, I'd seduce any kind of man to get information.
I was really good at getting their trust. It's incredible how easy it is to get a man with many ghosts to share everything while you sit next to him with a glass of champagne.
"You never went out with a man?" she asks, but not to scorn me.
"Plenty, but that's different," I mumble, tilting my head back and letting out a sigh.
"How is this different?" Nat asks, and I shrug.
"I don't have to poison him after." She stares at me. We look at each other for a few seconds, and she bursts into a laugh.

"Glad to hear that," she says between laughs, "I don't have many friends, and it would suck if you killed one of them."
I bury my face in my hands, smothering a chuckle. This woman makes it really hard not to like her.
I walk to the mirror over the sink, looking at my image reflected in it.
It has been a while since I saw myself this pretty. I don't mind it.
"Are the others still out?" I shout from the bathroom.
I don't really care about what they think, but I don't know if Steve wants the others to know about tonight.
"Yeah, Tony set them up for a meeting and ordered pizzas. They will have a long night ahead." Nat shouts back.
"Wait, Steve too? How is he going to come get me?" I frown, walking back into the room.
"I don't know." She shrugs, looking at the library. "You got a lot of books here."
"Yeah, I've read them all. I'll go get some more this week." I put on some black heeled boots.
"You've read them all?" She inquires, impressed.
"Yeah, I don't sleep much. Reading keeps my mind occupied." I explain, taking off my t-shirt.

"I didn't know you had more tattoos on." Nat points out the ink on my skin.
I nod, looking down at my elbow and at the dragonfly peeking from under my bra.
The snake on my left wrist and the rings on my fingers are the only ones I usually show.
"I guess I went through a phase." I chuckle, remembering how that was the only normal-looking thing I remember doing in the past ten years.
"Do they have a meaning?" Nat guesses, walking over and looking closer at them.
My breath hitches and I feel a lump in my throat.
"Well, this one," I point at the date in the crock of my right elbow, "it's my birthdate. I was worried I'd forget it." My fingers brush the ink, recalling the first year I spent there.
"The others are mostly for the aesthetic." I cut off, adjusting the blue turtleneck sweater on my shoulders.
She doesn't need to know.

I hear my phone ringing, and I pick up without checking the name.
"Hey, Steve," I answer, looking at Nat with a panicked expression.
"Yeah, I'm leaving now. See you in a second." Nat smiles at me and runs to her purse.
"Ok, take this." She hurries, putting a key in my hand.
"What is that?" I pick it up and observe it.
Why should I need a key?
"My house key. You know, just in case Bucky is already back at Steve's place." She smirks, and I feel blood flushing in my cheeks.
"Yeah, I won't need that." I give it back, and she frowns at me.
"His car?" A smirk pops on her lips, and I roll my eyes.
"Good lord, no." I choke on my words, and Nat laughs, shaking her head.
"Fine, no American meat for tonight." She snickers, and I gape at her.
A spray of scented vanilla hits my face, and I start coughing.
"Some warning maybe next time?" I wave my hand in front of my face.
Nat grasps my shoulders and studies my face. "Have fun." She smiles, and my lips curve up.
I take the elevator, getting to the first floor.
The woman at the front desk gives me a nod, and I head outside the building.
I notice Steve standing on the sidewalk, his hands locked behind his back.
He turns around and sees me walking out.
He's wearing a white knit sweater under a dark jacket.