Natasha stretched as she woke up, slamming her hand on her alarm clock and turning it off. She hadn't seen Bucky for a few weeks after their first encounter and she was wondering whether she should visit or not.
On her way home from work that evening, she decided to throw caution to the wind and knocked on his door.
"Hey, stranger," he said, stepping aside to let her in. His apartment wasn't what she was expecting, but it suited him. There were clothes tossed everywhere, jumpers and hoodies and jackets, but other than that it was spotless. She sat down on the counter in the open plan kitchen, watching him boil water for a coffee.
"I almost thought you'd never come down," he said as he was stirring the cups and she smiled sheepishly.
"Well, in my defence, Bucky, you are a strange man who knocked on my door at 2am."
"So why did you come?" he asked and she laughed.
"I did some research. Into you and your friend, that Steve person. First of all, you're way cuter. Second of all, James, I missed the way your laugh sounds," Natasha explained with a shrug. "So, beguile me with more stories about your idiot friend."
"Only if you'll tell me something about yourself after each story," Bucky bargained and she laughed.
"Alright, James, you have a deal."
"Nobody calls me James. I like it." His smile was warm and genuine and something stirred in Natasha that she hadn't felt since Yelena.
