Hello Sergeant (Bucky Barnes)

breakfast

Sarah's POV

Natasha came in as I was standing in front of my closet in my underwear, deciding what to wear. James must be in the shower because I heard the water turn on just then.

"How was last night after I left the first time, Sarah? Before you had Jace call me back in?"

"Fine." I felt my cheeks heat up slightly as I remembered the events of last night. "We watched a movie, I established boundaries that he completely ignored and we talked." I grabbed a pair of jeans, tank top and sweatshirt. It was pretty cool outside when I got home last night, winter was on it's way.

"Hmm. I wondered how that would go. Your arm looks better today."

I stared at her, wondering about what I had seen earlier. "So are you and James a thing again, Nat?"

"Maybe, for now. He's still interested in you, though. He was pissed to find out you had a boyfriend."   

"Yeah, that's the part I'm a little confused about. Why is he determined to try to start something with me when he has you?" I pulled on my jeans and fastened them. "It doesn't make any sense to me, Nat."

"Our...relationship was always...fluid."

I stared at her for a moment. "Define fluid for me."

"No strings attached." I looked at Nat in confusion and she simply shrugged. "What? He's very good in bed."

It took me a moment to put what I was feeling into words. "I'm just a little weirded out at the moment because your boyfriend keeps hitting on me. I'm really not comfortable with that. You know I wouldn't try to steal him from you."

"I know that, but he's not my boyfriend, Sarah. I'd define our relationship as more like 'friends with benefits'. I don't believe in forming attachments to people, you know that."

I pulled on my tank top and gave her a look. "Nat, I know that you say that, but I don't think you really believe that anymore. That used to be your life back then, it doesn't necessarily hold true anymore. Does he know about Clint?"

"Yes and no. He knows he's my roommate and partner. It wouldn't surprise him that we had been lovers sometimes."

I pulled on my sweatshirt and freed my hair. "You have a really strange way of looking at relationships, you know that?" I went to the laundry basket I'd brought in yesterday and found some of Steve's clothes for James to wear. I set them on the bed and we walked out into the living room.

"I've lived a long time, Sarah. My title of Black Widow is well deserved; only three men have ever been in my bed and survived – because they were my choice."

"James, Clint and Alexi."

"Yes."

"What did Maria say when you talked to her?" I asked.

"She wants a picture of him with Jace, but other than that, she was fine with it."

 "And Fury?"

"I'll tell you later," she promised. James was just coming out of the bathroom, a towel around his hips; I had to admit to myself that he had a very nice body. He turned to look at us, cocking his head slightly.

"Clothes are in the bedroom, James." I said, walking to the bathroom to finish getting ready.

I heard Jace come back in the apartment and talk to Nat while I pulled my hair back and brushed my teeth, walking out just as James was leaving my room. I looked him over critically, studying the fit of the clothes. The jeans fit him pretty well, but they were a little loose. I decided James wouldn't have fit into Jace's clothes, either - he was much more muscular than Jace. The long sleeved shirt was a little large on him for now, but once he filled back out again it would fit him fine.