Winter Widow One Shots

Sneaking Around

The tower was massive. Far bigger than Bucky had expected when being offered a place to live. Modern, sharp-edged architecture and sleek hallways that never seamed to end. It was overwhelming in many ways. Especially when he was trying to find Natalia's room.

He had passed the same minimalist wall art at least three times now. Or maybe it was just that all the art in the Tower looked the same.

A disembodied voice echoed softly through the hall. "Mr. Barnes, can I help you find something?"

He flinched, instinctively reaching for a weapon he no longer carried. His gaze darted around before realization dawned. FRIDAY—Stark's always present AI system. The first few times it had terrified him. Now it was just a startle and he grew used to her voice coming from the halls.

"No... I'm fine. Thank you." He muttered.

He turned a corner still disoriented, and nearly collided with a familiar redhead. Natalia's green eyes locked onto his with a sharp glint. Before he could say a word she grabbed his collar and pulled him with purpose down the corridor.

"FRIDAY, disable security cameras in section twenty-three. Authorization code: Anastasia," she snapped.

The system beeped and Bucky watched each red light in the hallway dim.

To his surprise, she didn't lead him to her room. Instead yanked open a heavy utility door and shoved him inside. It was dim and dusty, but far large than he expected. Metal shelving lined the walls, stacked with cleaning supplies, buckets, industrial vacuums, and random Stark repair kits.

She pushed him into a dark corner, her fingers making quick work of removing his shirt. "Did you get lost?"

She teased, letting her fingers trail down his chest.

"I followed your directions. Take the main hallway from the common room, then a left at the Avengers Hologram, that was a dead end by the way." He grumbled, his words cut off as her lips found the base of his throat.

"It's just so big..." He muttered, describing the building, but she smirked and raised a brow.

"I'd say that's what she said, but I fear you wouldn't understand it, old man."

He rolled his eyes, hands sliding around her waist. "We invented innuendo, sweetheart. I was telling dirty jokes when you were still in a KGB nursery."

"Charming." She purred.

With a quick movement he hoisted her up, her legs immediately curling around his waist. Their lips collided, hungry and desperate. She grabbed his hair, pulling his face closer as he pushed her back against the wall between a mop and a bin full of old rags.

Then, the door creaked.

They froze instantly—mid-kiss, breathless, tangled in each other.

"Viz, are you sure she came down here?" Wanda's voice echoed lightly from the hallway, her shadow clear in the light that poured in from the door. "This is the janitors closet. It's just a bunch of brooms."

"I was quite certain I saw Ms. Romanoff on this floor," Vision replied calmly. "She requested a temporary blackout of the cameras in this sector."

"That's suspicious," Wanda said, a bit too knowingly. "She must have kept going."

The door shut with a soft click, plunging them back into semi-darkness.

They didn't move for several long seconds. James could feel Natalia's breath against his cheek, both of them completely still, listening.