Buckynat Oneshots

AU - Risk (now its own story)

**Might make this its own story one day, maybe? Also, sorry if this is a little weird. Wanted to take a spin on a classic "college/high school" story line but still keep it true to them? If that makes sense? **

James Barnes was glad to return to his small apartment after a gruelling day of meetings and planning that had him watching the clock every minute from lunchtime until now. He was mentally exhausted more than anything, though his shoulder ached from where he carried his book bad containing various notepads, a diary and laptop around all day. With a relieved sigh, he dropped it onto a nearby table as soon as he entered his small place in Brooklyn, closing the door behind him as he shrugged off his coat. As he went to hang it up in the small closet, his eyes caught sight of the pretty little red head sitting, cross legged on the brown leather sofa facing him.

She looked up at him, giving off a sort of half smile before she bit into her toast once more and chewed happily on the bread. "Hey." She murmured from behind her hand as she kept chewing, resting back against the soft cushions as she visibly took thrill from his confused look. "How was your day?"

"Long." He replied, frowning slightly at her. "I gave you a spare key for emergencies," he said, almost disapprovingly, taking a few steps into the living area.

She shrugged as she finished off the last of her toast, "I ran out of bread. You didn't specify what counts as an emergency." She smirked slightly, and infectious twitch of her lips that he couldn't help but return.

"Looting my fridge doesn't really count." He raised his brows as she rolled her eyes slightly and got up, moving to brush past him into the small kitchen to dispose of her plate. He followed, leaning in the doorway as he watched her. "Did anyone see you come in?"

"The little old lady across the hall." She said with her back to him as she cleaned the plate in the sink, missing him tense slightly. "She's sweet. Has a cute dog too." She turned to put the plate away a sighed at the look on his face. "Relax, she didn't suspect anything weird."

"How do you know that?" He asked with a frown, rubbing his stubbles chin with worry.

"I wasn't wearing my "I'm fucking James Barnes" T-shirt and waving my college acceptance letter in her face." She snapped, sending him an irritated glare. She leaned back against the counter, folding her arms across her chest, letting the silence linger a moment as she tried to control her fiery temper. "Look, if you want this to end, then just say it." She huffed slightly as she looked away from him with a shake of her head. "We keep going round in circles with this, and if it's all not worth it for you, then why bother stressing out about it?" She dropped her head slightly to look at the floor, pursing her lips slightly.
"We can just walk away, and I won't mention to anyone that it ever happened. Go on with life as normal, you know."

He blinked, always so surprised by how mature she was for her age. Sure, 24 wasn't exactly a child. But most 24 year olds weren't Natasha. Clever and unique that didn't blindly follow the flow of trends and popularity unless she wanted to. Even now, with him, she took the approach as an adult, though he was sure if he called it off she'd unleash a foul mouth rant about him to her roommate Wanda when she got home.

James tilted his head slightly as she impatiently tapped her foot slightly, the silence too long for her liking. He thought about agreeing, how the weight of guilt and shame would probably lift off his shoulders immediately, but then the loneliness would come back. Laughter would be lost, that hot burning of desire and, though he was scared to admit it, love deep in his chest would fizzle away too.

"That is the last thing I want." He told her, watching her green eyes flicker up to took at him through her eyelashes. "Sure, life would be a hell of a lot easier if we didn't have what we have, but it would also be...fucking boring." He laughed once, leaning up from the door frame to approach her. "I don't want this to end, just...I think we need to be more careful until we can figure out a solution to all this."

"I told you, I can transfer." She sighs but he shook his head.

"I know how much you love it here. And if you went to a college further away, we'd have less time together." He watched her frown, considering her was right.

"But you wouldn't be risking so much for me." She said softly, letting him unfold her arms and ease her into an embrace.

"You are worth every second of it." He told her, resting his cheek on her head. "And if it ever all goes to shit, at least I have you."

She smiled nuzzling into his chest, stroking the fabric at the back of his shirt as she soothed at his words. "I still don't think it's that bad." She admitted stubbornly, resting her chin on his chest as she looked up at him. "I meant you aren't even my professor at all."

"I'm still 33 and teaching at your college. That's bad enough, Nat."

"Could be worse though. At least I'm not younger and giving you fuck-me-on-your-desk eyes during class." She teased, watching him squirm in discomfort.

"God! Don't make it weird!" He groaned then chuckled, hiding his face against her shoulder as she laughed softly.

"See! It's not that bad!" She smirked and he pulled back to look at her better. "All I want to do is eat your food." She have a little incident shrug as he raised a brow.

"Does that mean you're going to leave now you got your snack?"

"Oh no." She shook her head. "You also might have the answers to the test I'm sitting next week."

His face fell and she immediately cupped his cheeks as she grinned. "I'm totally kidding."