The Soft Side of Winter

Safe

           The air was frigid, and your teeth chattered slightly. The snow was up to your knees, and you trudged along after the man in front of you. The man in front of you seemed unfazed by the blizzard you both were walking through. He wasn't even wearing his jacket; he had given that to you an hour ago. The bun in his hair, courtesy of you, was now frozen in place on his head and you wondered what you looked like.

"H-hey, Winter. A-are we almost th-there?" You asked as you pulled his jacket closer to your body.

He grunted in response, and you took that as a yes. Then again, you asked that same question twenty minutes ago and he gave you the same response. You both kept walking through the snow, the annoying crunch seemed to get carried away by the wind with every step. After a few more steps, you bumped into him. You looked up at him, wondering why he had stopped.

"Climb on my back. We can move a lot quicker if I carry you." His voice sounded dry, and he handed you his backpack before crouching down.

This wasn't the first time he had carried you, and it probably wouldn't be the last. You climbed onto his back and wrapped your body around him. He straightened up and you pressed a small kiss to his neck. He let out a small sigh before jogging through the snow. You clutched him tightly as he picked up speed. Lights were shining in the distance, and you breathed out in relief that you were almost someplace warm. The streets were empty, you guys were the only ones dumb enough to be out in such weather. He stopped in front of a dinky hotel, and you slid off his back. You gave Winter his coat back to him, so people wouldn't see his arm and he adjusted his beanie and backpack before you guys entered.

A wave of heat hit you as you opened the door and you sighed in contentment. You watched as Winter walked up to the counter to get you guys a room for the night. He spoke with the lady at the front desk in a language you didn't know, and he soon walked back to you with the key.

"Room 25. It's not much but it's enough for us to rest for the night." He said as he led you to the room.

The room was small, but it was alright. It had a bed, bathroom, a microwave, and a mini fridge. A small tv was in the corner, but all you guys needed was a shower and bed. You and Winter set your backpacks down and as you took in the room.

"You take a shower. I'll see if I can find us some food and I'll scout the area to make sure no one from Hydra is following us." He held you for a moment not wanting to let go.

"Be careful, Winter." You said pressing a kiss to his jaw.

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. He still wasn't used to all the affection being shown, since you two had to hide your relationship while with Hydra. And the touches he got from Hydra were all but loving. He left, and you walked back to your bag to find some fresh clothes.

The warm water of the shower felt heavenly. You and Winter had escaped two days ago from Hydra, and you guys had been hopping from place to place in hopes that Hydra wouldn't find you. You and the Winter Soldier had formed a tight bond. You seemed to be the only one who could calm him down, and he was able to show his softer side around you. You never knew his real name, so you opted for Winter. Soldat, and Asset tasted bitter on your tongue.

You were fixing the bed when Winter came back. He had brought back some rice and chicken, setting it one the table. He shrugged off his jacket, his metal arm now on display.

"No sign of Hydra. Sorry about the food. It was the best I could do."

"It's fine, Winter. Go shower, and your food will be waiting for you." You said gently untying the bun in his hair, trying not to hurt him while his hair was thawing.

Once you undid his hair, he turned around and looked at you. "C-can you wait for me? To eat? I want to eat with you."

He looked so vulnerable just then. His blue eyes looking at you softly. All he wanted was to eat his meal with you and you hugged him.

"Sure thing. I'll be waiting for you."

He quickly kissed you on the forehead, before heading to the shower. He had been through so much, and you just wanted to take his pain away. How could he have gone through such torment and pain and still be so soft? Winter didn't take very long in the shower, and he soon took a seat beside you on the bed, and you ate in silence.

You were pressed against his side as you ate, a thing you knew comforted him tremendously. After you guys finished your food, he checked the door and window to make sure they were locked. He was uneasy about sleeping while Hydra could still be looking for the both of you. Placing his gun on the nightstand beside the bed, he made sure everything was ready for bed. When he was done, you switched off the lights, leaving the bathroom light on with the door cracked, knowing how much he hated the dark.

Crawling into bed beside him, he wrapped his body around yours almost instinctively. He was closest to the door; he could protect you better that way. You nuzzled your face into the crook of his neck, placing little kisses there. He hummed in contentment at your gesture, and he held you a bit tighter against him. His warmth and soft heartbeat made you feel safe, and you moved a bit to press a kiss to his lips. He kissed back eagerly, his hands pulling you as close as possible.

"I love you, Winter." You said snuggling into him.

"I love you, too. I promise I'll keep you safe. Always." He murmured as he nuzzled into you. "Mine."

"Yours." You pressed one last kiss to his neck. "Forever and always."