The Winter Wraith (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 15 - Autumn Thoughts

You must have introduced yourselves to a hundred people by now, always under the guise of co-workers, and at least a hundred people must have forgotten your names the moment they finished talking to you, courtesy of your powers. You lost track of time a while ago, though it must be getting on to midnight.

You and the Winter Soldier are currently standing to the side of the room, a drink in each of your hands. The large hall is strung with garlands of flowers in autumnal shades of burning reds, oranges, and golds. Similar hues of lighting illuminate the room from dazzling chandeliers. The guests have dressed accordingly, including yourself, with dresses ranging from pale sunrises to dark embers.

You've seen men and women alike looking your way, and many approached you when you weren't standing next to the Winter Soldier. You still reach out with your mind now and then to see if you can gain any more information about your target, Lorenzo Ricci, but only when you have an excuse to hide your eyes. It was easier when people would talk to you instead of stealing glances of you in what could only be called a fearful manner.

You can't work out what's changed, maybe an exceptionally gruesome rumour? You're about to risk it and go find Ricci before this rumour gets to him when you notice that none of your hesitant admirers are making eye contact with you.

They look over in your direction, then their eyes flit to your right and suddenly they're scrambling to submerge themselves in the colourful waves of the crowd.

But the only thing to your right, save a classily wainscoted white wall, is... a sullen super soldier.

He leans against the wall next to you, one foot crossed over the other, in a relaxed stance. He would appear like anyone else in the venue, if it wasn't for the way his brow creased, his eyes narrowed and his gaze challenged everyone in a five-metre radius.

Any other time you'd find it amusing, but you had a mission to complete. Turning to the Winter Soldier, you send him a small glare of your own.

"Okay, you need to stop scowling. You're scaring everyone away."

"I am not," he denies. Then, at your raised eyebrow, he adds, "and at least I didn't growl at the flight attendant."

You hadn't thought he had heard that, but in your opinion, the flight attendant had totally deserved a good scare. "Just-" Your hands reach up to his face, pushing the corners of his lips into a smile. "There!"

He lets you do this, and even holds the handmade smile for a few seconds before a real, albeit small, smile takes its place. You feel your face reflect his smile, pleased that he no longer looks like a sulking teenager at his parents' party, and maybe a little pleased that he's smiling because of you.

Out of the russet depths of the Autumn Ball, a woman with olive skin and gleaming black hair saunters over to you both. "Hi, I'm Renata Accardi," she introduces herself, words highlighted by a sharp Italian accent. "I don't think I've seen you around before?"

"We haven't attended many gatherings like this. I'm Karma Smith, and this is my co-worker Sebastian Stan."

You plaster a smile on your face that's about as real as hers. "Karma," she echoes, trying the name on her tongue, "what a... unique name, I'm sure that was hard for you growing up."

Her condescending tone grates on your nerves, and you feel your smile strain. "Uh, no, not really. Not at all, actually."

You're already turning away from her, not wanting to bother with the pretentious queen bee of the party, but she isn't done yet. "Not as hard as looking like that, of course," she sneers as she eyes, well, you. "But what can you do?"