France was cold. The air was wet with rain billowing above in the dark clouds. A storm promised to be in attendance at the party that evening.
Bucky and I were strolling through Parc de la Tête d'Or. Hundreds of flowers surrounded us in a dizzying array of colors and scents. It was stunning and glittering even in the abysmal atmosphere.
I drew my coat closer around me and wrapped my arms around Bucky's. "We should get ready soon," he breathed against my forehead. He placed a kiss atop my head. His lips were warm and soft compared to the freezing air.
My stomach filled with butterflies. The party was in a few hours. We had to get ready and review the mission intel. Attend the party, steal some intel, fly home. It had sounded easy enough, but with the impending gala, my heart was racing.
"You alright, doll?" Bucky's voice held concern. He looked at me with furrowed brows, searching my face for answers.
I swallowed my nerves, "Yeah, just thinking about tonight."
"It'll be easy, angel. I'll handle everything." He looked confident. I trusted him. I knew he would take care of us.
My shoulders relaxed, "We should come back here in the spring." I looked up at him. He looked back at me, a smile on his face. He nodded, turning to look out at the lawn dotted with trees and fountains. One day, this will be every day.
He pulled me closer to his side, hugging me inside his coat that blew open in the wind. We lingered for a while longer. Neither of us wanted to leave and start working. I wished we could revel in the fantasy for a while longer.
Bucky slid his hand into mine, twirling me and guiding me back the way we had come. He gave me a smile; it didn't look sad, perhaps nostalgic or hopeful better described it. But there was something fogging his features. I pushed it aside, not wanting to press. He was probably distracted by the mission just as I was.
The hotel was fanciful. SHIELD had booked an expensive room. You're going to a gala with the richest people in Europe. You have to play the part.
Fine by me.
I turned to Bucky, "I'm going to get ready alone. Rose gave me a manual of instructions. Is that okay?"
He smiled, "Of course, doll. Take your time. I'll look over the intel after I'm done." He gave me a kiss on the forehead and gently pushed me to a second bedroom in the suite.
I unzipped the garment bag that held the dress, admiring the tulle fabric between my fingers. I let out a shaky breath; my nerves were growing more and more restless as the gala neared. Rose had given me detailed instructions on how to do my hair, wear the dress, paint my makeup, and a laundry list of other tasks.
Clouds still loomed overhead. Bucky knocked on the door and poked his head inside. His gaze was averted, not wanting to look at me without permission. I laughed, "Hey, Buck." I walked over to him and stuck my head in front of his.
His eyes met mine, "I got you this earlier when you weren't looking." He grinned and pulled a bowl of strawberries from behind his back. We had passed through a market that afternoon. It was romantic and quaint. I dreamed of this being our life someday. A quiet French town in the countryside, markets, flower gardens, and castles. One day, this will be every day.
I grinned at him and took the bowl of bleeding red fruit. They looked delicious and juicy, "Merci, mon chéri."
He smiled and shut the door with a wink.
I set the bowl down on the desk in the corner of the room. It faced the window and overlooked the streets below. There weren't many people outside. The weather was miserable, so I didn't have much to distract myself with while dreading getting ready.
What if Bucky doesn't like it. What if the mission goes sideways. What if someone gets hurt. What if-
I clenched my fists and closed my eyes. Enough. I pulled out a mirror and inspected myself. Rose had said my makeup should be simple, but not boring, my dear. Put a wash of pastel purple on your eyelids and a plum blush on those cheeks of yours with a glossy lip, and you'll be set.
I wished Natasha was here. We did each other's makeup often. The sensation was relaxing, and I wished I had her here to calm my nerves. During missions, there were strict no-contact rules in place, least our cover be blown.
My fingers moved deftly between brushes and products, applying what Rose had packed for me. My hair was another story. A slight wave pinned up into a loose updo will flow beautifully with the fabric. Curl your front pieces, and pin the rest back. Easier said than done without Natasha here with her nimble fingers and eagle eyes.
I did my best, satisfied with the results. Loose strands of curly hair fell across my cheeks, and a soft bun rested at the back of my hair. Hide the headband under bounds of hair and let the pearly spires shine from your head like the star you are. She had winked at me when she said it. I laughed at the memory.
My fingers pulled up pieces of hair and slid the headbands through them, fitting it snugly against my scalp. I flattened the hair back down and over the crown. I really felt like a princess.
I moved my eyes over to the garment bag; it was half unzipped from earlier, and it stared back at me, intimidating.
Now, the zipper may be a bit tricky. You may need that cute agent to help you out. My face burned at the possibility of asking Bucky to zip my dress for me. I would try without him first.
I slipped into it, looking at myself in the mirror. My fingers reached the zipper easily, but I couldn't pull it all the way up. It narrowly missed the top of the slide. It was good enough, and I could show Bucky the dress without the embarrassment of holding it over myself.
My fingers ghosted over the door handle, hesitant to see his reaction. I popped it open, "Bucky?"
"Yeah?" He called back to me. My heart raced for a moment.
"I'm ready."
I heard the smile in his voice as he spoke, "Me too. Want to come look over the intel we have?"
I stepped out of the room, and my heels echoed against the wooden floors. His back was turned to me, and blue light from JARVIS's screen glowed around him.
He looked so handsome already. The tux fit perfectly onto his broad shoulders, and his hair was neatly combed back.
My feet paused which caused Bucky to turn and face me. His mouth opened slightly, and he stared for a while. His eyes looked me up and down while blinking heavily. Finally, he let go of a breath he had held in his chest, "wow."
I shuffled my weight around nervously, "Do you like it?"
He swallowed and took a few steps towards me. Even in the low light of the French evening, he looked stunning. A faint beard crawled along his jawline, and his suit was black as night. His tie wasn't done yet, and it hung loosely around his neck.
A smile danced on his lips, "You look breathtaking, angel." His hands moved to hold my hips, and my fingers glided along his arms. The fabric of his jacket was thick and warm. Steal it later when it's cold.
I moved my fingers to his tie, "Can I help you?"
He smirked, "In more ways than one."
"Keep it together until later, Sarge." My fingers moved through the motions swiftly and produced a neat knot at the base of his neck.
He slid his hand up to grasp one of my wrists as I began to move away. His eyes stared into mine, and suddenly I felt incredibly small under his gaze. He was studying me. There was an intensity in his eyes that made my cheeks flush red.
His hand brought mine to his lips, and he placed a gentle kiss to my knuckles. He kept eye contact with me and winked when he pulled away.
I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. Anxiety fluttered through me again, "Bucky, I need help with something." His eyebrow popped at me. "Um," why was this so awkward, "I can't reach my zipper to pull it up all the way." He smiled and turned me around.
His fingers were cool against my burning skin, and his breath cascaded down my back, leaving tickles and goosebumps behind. He pressed a kiss to my bare shoulder and turned me back around. He held my hand, leading me towards the table that held our intel.
"Mademoiselle Juliet Martin et Monsieur Bernard Dubois, that's us, will be attending the gala at a château just north of the city. We will mingle amongst the other guests, drink, dance, and watch the crowd." He paused, making sure I was keeping up.
"The host, Antoine Richard, has a study located in the east wing, second floor. When we are sure he is preoccupied, we will slip to the study. There should be files related to Hydra on his computer." His fingers squeezed my hand gently, "I'll need you to unlock the study, and I can do the rest."
I gave him a reassuring nod, "It'll go smoothly." Part of me didn't trust the words coming out of my mouth, but if it meant relaxing Bucky, I would say them forever.
He smiled, "I know. We're the best duo on the team."
"Clint and Nat would beg to differ," I laughed.
He shrugged back at me, "They can argue all they want." There was a confidence in his voice now that eased my nerves.
Bucky stepped back from me and held me at arm's length. He twirled me, and my dress flowed like a ballerina's. I smirked at him, "You know how to dance, right, Sarge?"
He huffed, "Of course I do, doll." His hand held mine while his other hugged my waist. We waltzed while no music played. It was just us, moving silently throughout the room. My heels clicked against the floors, keeping time to the violins that sang in my imagination. Bucky began humming a tune, soft and gentle in the quiet air. His voice vibrated through his chest and sent shockwaves through my nerves.
I'm so in love with him.
My heart ached for a moment. I moved my fingertips up and behind his head, digging my hand into his hair. He smiled, "Keep it together until later, angel." His tone was light as he mocked my words from earlier.
I rolled my eyes. Bucky's watch alerted us it was time to leave. He sighed, "Car will be here soon. Are you ready to go, Mademoiselle Juliet?"
He offered me his arm. I looped my hand through the crook in his elbow, "Oui, Monsieur."
The landscape was beautiful. My eyes were glued as we made our way through the hills of Lyon. Bucky's fingers fit between mine between our seats. Occasionally, he tapped my fingers reminding me and himself that we were both still there.
I turned to smile at him, and we pointed out landmarks on the journey as the driver brought us closer to the gala.
The castle was large, stone and grey against the dark backdrop of the storm clouds that still loomed overhead. The moon and stars would not shine tonight.
The car stopped, and Bucky exited. He circled, and opened the door for me. Other people were arriving, and many expensive foreign cars lined the driveway loop.
There must have been at least a hundred guests already here. It was overwhelming. I squeezed Bucky's arm, and his free hand rose to grip mine that hung in his elbow. He smiled at me, "Let's get a drink."
People greeted us, though they had no idea who we were, and we were just as clueless. They assumed we were European socialites like they were. I wondered how many people here actually knew each other.
We stood in the entrance way, taking in the layout of the room. A server appeared with a tray of drinks and offered them to us. Bucky took two glasses of wine and handed one to me.
It was deeply red, nearly black as it swirled in the glass. I spotted the host on a balcony above us. He surveyed the crowd, a pleased smile on his lips. He was talking to someone, a man who I swore I recognized.
I tapped Bucky's arm and averted my gaze, hoping to not be obvious with my stare. He looked down at me. I muttered against his shoulder, "Second floor balcony. The host is talking to someone. Blonde hair, tan, why does he look familiar?" I couldn't shake it. I knew him.
Bucky looked and shook his head, "I don't know, doll. I don't recognize him." I sighed. Maybe I was mistaken. My gut told me otherwise.
"There are no other SHIELD agents here?"
His head shook, "Mission report said nothing about it." He looked uneasy now. His eyes flickered back to the balcony. The blonde man had disappeared now. Bucky's jaw clenched, "We'll keep an eye on the situation."
"Let's dance," I said. "I feel awkward just standing here." I tried to lighten the mood with a laugh.
Bucky peered down at me, "Cheers?"
We clinked our glasses together and drank, moving towards the dance floor. An orchestra played soft music that drifted down the hallways. They circled the marble ballroom in a half moon crescent.
Bucky and I abandoned our empty glasses on a bar and joined the other couples dancing along to the whimsy of strings and woodwinds. His hand held mine, and his other pulled my hips closer to him.
My fingers felt small on his broad shoulders. I smiled up at him as we swayed gently to the music. He leaned down to whisper in my ear, "You look breathtaking, angel."
I smiled against his cheeks, "You don't look half bad yourself, Sarge."
He grinned and held me tighter, "People are staring at you." I glanced my eyes around. Their looks were quick and discreet, but I saw them all the same.
I huffed, "I feel so out of place."
"You shouldn't, ma princesse," there was a tease in his voice, but I blushed regardless. His hand let go of my hip, and his hand holding mine twirled me as the music swelled in my ears.
He brought me back towards him, hugging his arm around my shoulders. He placed a kiss in my hair, "I mean it, doll. You look like you belong here." His eyes met mine as he leaned away slightly, "I'm so thankful to have met you."
I thought I might cry. A sob choked in my throat, killing any words that I might have attempted to squeak out. I'm sure my eyes were glossy as I looked up at him.
He smiled, "I know you're wearing lip gloss, but can I kiss you?"
I burned and blood rushed past my ears, deafening me for a moment. I nodded in response. We kissed in the middle of the dance floor as the music swirled up to the gilded gold dome over our heads.
We pulled away. Bucky's lips looked slightly sticky. I breathed a laugh as he licked away the gloss. He smiled, "Let's find the host. See if we can get this over with."
We walked through glass doorways and out to a magnificent garden. It was beautifully manicured and had sweeping hills of lush grass and flower beds. Old stone paved a walkway between hedges and short trees, over streams of water, and past towering fountains.
Bucky slipped his jacket off and placed it over my shoulders. He held me tight against his side, "Not many people out here. We might have to check upstairs to make sure he's preoccupied."
I nodded; the gardens were sparse with few guests mingling between shrubbery. Their drunk laughter echoed through the empty space. We turned again, making our way through a set of double doors that led to an empty hallway.
A spiral staircase illuminated the way to the balcony. Perhaps the host had not ventured downstairs yet. The marble railing was cold against my hand, and my heels clicked loudly against the walls. Bucky's hand steadied the small of my back, fearful I would slip in my heels.
There were many more people upstairs than I had hopped. We scanned the crowd for the host. He sat drunkenly at a bar, surrounded by men and women laughing at something he had said.
The music just below us was drowned out by the chatter that rang in my ears. Bucky gripped my hand and pulled me into a small enclave nearby, "Doesn't look like he's going anywhere anytime soon. Let's get to work and enjoy the rest of our night."
My heart fluttered with anxiety. Bucky began to pull me down another hallway, one we were certainly not supposed to go down, but I stopped him. I looked around us, "Have we seen that blonde man from before? The one I thought I knew."
He paused and scanned the crowd. His head shook. It was like that man disappeared. A shiver struck through my spine and uneasiness churned in my stomach. Bucky gripped my hand a bit tighter, "Relax, doll." There was sincerity in his eyes which eased me slightly.
I swallowed down the acid that burned in my throat and wordlessly followed him down the residential hallways. Nobody had seen us slip past the tape that barricaded the restricted hallways. The guests were too drunk and caught up in their folly to pay us any attention.
Bucky had done his due diligence and memorized the layout of the maze of architecture. I followed his lead past bedrooms and libraries that held hundreds of probably unread books.
I marveled at the fine details of the castle. It was old yet well-kept. It was polished and clean, bright lights and ambient windows lined the halls.
Footsteps echoed in front of us. We weren't supposed to be here. I froze and my stomach did a backflip. They neared closer to us.
Bucky turned suddenly and slammed me against the wall. "Sorry," he muttered against my cheek as he crashed our lips together in hungry kisses. Startled, I froze under him for a moment before realizing why.
The feet stopped, and a man coughed uncomfortably, "Excusez-moi?"
Bucky paused and pulled away from me, "What?" His voice was rough and aggressive.
The man wore a security uniform, but he was not nearly as imposing as Bucky was. He shuffled on his feet, "Vous ne pouvez pas tous être ici." You can't be here.
Bucky's eyes glanced at me, and he pulled me off the wall and towards the security guard, wordlessly continuing down the path we were headed.
The security guard held up his hands, "Non, autre façon." No, other way.
It always amazed me how fast Bucky can move. It felt inhuman. He laughed and stepped towards the man. His hands collided with the guard's head and bashed him against the wall. He fell unconscious, slumped against a statue that was on display. Blood trickled down in a sickly sticky stream.
I was frozen in shock. My eyes were still glued to the man that I wasn't sure was still alive. I felt Bucky's eyes on me. He stepped forward, "You okay, doll?" He dusted his hands.
He stepped closer to me again. I felt outside of my own body. The possibly dead man slumped in the hallway may be hard to explain. I moved my eyes up to meet Bucky's. He looked dreadfully concerned.
My feet moved to stand at his side. I stared up at him in shock. He looked sick. His eyes wavered between mine, "I didn't mean to scare you, doll." His voice was hoarse.
I swallowed back my anxiety and laid my head against his chest, "It just shocked me." His hand held my hair, and his thumb worked circles against my scalp.
My heart stopped racing. I felt bad for the man against the wall. He was simply trying to do his job. Wrong place, wrong time. I sighed, "Back to work." My voice was feeble.
His fingers lifted my chin and held up my face to look at him. He pressed his thumb to my bottom lip, "I'm sorry, angel."
I shook my head, "It's not what you did. I just feel bad for him." I waved my hand in his direction, unable to look at him again.
Bucky nodded, his eyes stared at the guard. "He's fine," but he didn't sound convinced.
I gripped Bucky's hand and pulled him down the hallway. I couldn't stand there anymore.
Bucky let me lead him blindly towards the study. He stopped when I had almost passed it. His strong arms pulled me to the side. I steadied my hand against the handle and shot magic through the lock. It opened easily, and we stepped inside.
He moved towards the computer, "I'll do this if you watch the door. We can leave after this, doll."
I nodded and moved to peek through a crack in the frame. Nobody approached. I looked back at Bucky, "How long?"
"5 minutes to download everything SHIELD wants."
Anxiety tickled my ears. Something bad is about to happen. I stepped away from the door and joined Bucky by the desk. It was mahogany, red and glossy.
Acid burned in my throat. Bucky noticed, "You alright?"
I don't know. I looked around the room. "I don't know how to explain it, but" I sighed. "I feel like something is about to happen."
He chuckled, "It's just your nerves. We're fine. Relax."
It's different than that. I really didn't know how else to say it to him. Even now, I couldn't find the words to describe the sensation I felt.
I moved back to the door. Again, we were alone. "Almost done?"
"One minute."
Suddenly, there was a terrible rumble from the bookshelf. Panic flooded my body. Bucky stood from the desk. Our eyes met for a moment. I saw the worry in his face.
The shelf slid from the wall, a secret entrance was revealed. It was hidden in the wall behind the books.
I readied my magic. It swirled blue and brilliant between my fingers. I hid my hand behind my back, not wanting the person coming out of the shelf to see all of our cards just yet.
The blonde man I thought I recognized stepped from the shadows. He hadn't been expecting us. His eyes stared at Bucky, not yet noticing me by the door. He chuckled, "Fancy seeing you here, солдат."
Soldier. My heart stopped. He's Hydra. But how do I know him? My mind raced.
Bucky winced. The man lifted a gun from inside his jacket pocket, "Do you recognize me?" His head shook no.
"Name's Kuznetsov, SHIELD agent," he paused for dramatic effect, "and Hydra agent. His grin was wicked against the dull light of the room.
My blood boiled. SHIELD is still compromised. That must be how I know him. My head pounded as I struggled to place him. Tech department, most likely. Easy to steal data if you're the one in charge of it.
Kuznetsov's gun clicked, and he moved closer to Bucky. Anger burned inside of me. I stepped away from the door. My heels clicked on the wooden floors, and Kuznetsov swung his head and gun to face me.
"You work for Hydra and SHIELD?" My voice was loud and angry in the quiet room.
His smile faltered, "Stella." He moved his gun back to point at Bucky, "No tricks, witch. Otherwise, he's dead."
I pressed him again, "What are you doing here?"
"Isn't it obvious? You're here because this castle is connected to Hydra. I just told you I work for Hydra too." He grinned wickedly, "This is a safe house, baby."
"What are you doing at SHIELD?"
"Keeping tabs on Hydra's number one killing machine," he turned to taunt Bucky.
I needed to turn his attention back to me, "What's down there?" I nodded my head to the bookshelf.
Kuznetsov gave me another arrogant smile, "Wouldn't you like to know. Too bad I'm going to have Barnes over here kill you and then himself before either of you find out."
I stepped forward, and he swung his gun to point at me again.
Bucky lept towards him, but I was faster. I smiled at him as I used my magic to fling him backwards and out the window. He crashed through the glass and metal frames of the window. He fell two stories and onto the stone pathways of the garden below.
His scream echoed in my ears, blood-curdling and terrified.
I looked past the broken glass that hung in jagged shards around the window frame.Thick red blood dripped onto the bricks of the windowsill. Kuznetsov laid sprawled out on the stone. Blood pooled around him, black in the cold night air.
Snow was falling from the sky above. It was gentle and white as it floated onto the body below me. Perfect, a snowstorm to make our escape in.
I turned to Bucky. He was frozen and staring at me. His eyes were wide. "You saved me," he breathed.
"Of course I did."
His lips pulled into a grin, "We need to go."
People began screaming outside. It had been a loud crash, they would be coming upstairs soon.
Bucky yanked the thumb drive from the computer and shoved it into the jacket pocket which I still wore.
I looked back to the bookshelf entrance Kuznetsov had used. What is back there. I stopped Bucky before he could leave through the hallway. He looked at me, puzzled.
"What's down there?"
He shrugged, "I don't know, doll, but I don't want us to get trapped down there." He knew I wouldn't drop it, "We'll tell SHIELD." Fine.
Footsteps bounded down the hallway and rapidly approached the study. There was a lot of yelling.
My chest heaved with anxiety. I gripped Bucky's hand and pulled him back towards the window. My magic blew out the rest of the broken glass, so we wouldn't cut ourselves.
Bucky yanked my hand, "Doll, we can't make that jump."
"Do you trust me?" The footsteps neared.
He stared at me for a moment, "Yes."
We climbed and stood on the windowsill. I jumped, shooting my magic down to stone below us. The body staring back up at me sent chills across my spine, and the smell of blood filled my nostrils.
My magic softened our fall. Our feet hit the stones with a loud thud. There was a crowd still standing around the blonde man. I pushed them all away in a flurry of blue magic. They yelped at the impact.
Bucky dragged me along and into the garden lawn. He was so much faster than me, and my feet felt as if they were floating down the rolling French hills. I kicked my heels off and ran barefoot beside him. My feet barreled through the grass.
There were aches in my legs as I struggled to keep up with Bucky. The adrenaline in my blood made the sensation addicting.
Snow hit my face and cooled the burning anxiety that made my skin glow red. People had tried to follow us, but Bucky was quick and sprinted through the grass like a startled hare. I struggled to keep up, but with every misstep I had, Bucky pulled me back along.
We stopped when we reached a line of trees. The snow was falling thick, and my feet were freezing as they shuffled in the ice below my toes. I looked behind us. Nobody had been able to follow.
My chest was heaving in the frostbitten air. It heaved through me like knives in my lungs. Bucky stared at me as he leaned against a tree. He moved towards me and lifted me in a bridal style.
I began to protest, but he silenced me with an intensity in his eyes. He walked through the trees. The soft crunch of his shoes in the fallen snow was the only sound to comfort my ears.
Bucky was warm, a human furnace that sent heat through me. We reached a residential neighborhood. Cars lined the streets. Bucky set me down against one of the cars. It was vintage, not quite restored to its former glory. Bucky had chosen an easy target.
Silently, he broke the locking mechanism for the door and slipped inside. He fiddled with the wires for a bit before the lights flashed to life.
He looked at me as I leaned against the hood of the car. A smile graced his lips as he winked at me. I looked back at the house the car was parked in front of and said a silent sorry.
Perhaps SHIELD would send them a check. Wishful thinking.
I moved to the passenger side door and sat next to Bucky. He drove through the silent French streets. I thought about the security guard likely still slumped against the side wall. The Hydra/SHIELD agent I had thrown from the window. The blood that pooled on those ancient stone steps. The screaming of partygoers. The pounding feet that still echoed in my ears.
My eyes shut. Bucky's hand moved to settle on my knee. He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. I shook the feelings away. I had saved Bucky, and for that, I would do it all over again.
Bucky and I slipped carefully through our hotel lobby. I sunk to the floor of the elevator, tired, exhausted, and overwhelmed. Bucky's hand cane to rest on my head, and his fingers combed through the loose strands of my hair.
I dreaded my appearance.
The elevator door slid open on our floor, and we moved silently to our suit. I started towards the bed, couches, whatever was soft, but Bucky's hands guided me towards the bathroom.
I didn't protest. I probably looked disgusting, and I needed to clean up. The bathroom was pleasantly large. A clawfoot bathtub faced a large glass window that peered over the streets below. There was a wide vanity and marble counters.
I tossed Bucky's jacket to the floor after tossing the thumb drive onto the counter. The coat was filthy and torn from running through the woods. Shame, it was a nice jacket.
He bent over the tub and turned on the water. He turned to me, "Can I undress you?" It was a simple question, but in his soft exhaustion, it sent butterflies across my chest.
Wordlessly, I turned around and faced the mirror. I didn't look so terrible. My eye makeup was smudged, and my lipgloss was gone. Bucky appeared behind me, and I watched as he intently stared at the zipper of my dress. His fingers moved it down, letting the dress float to the tile floors below. He slipped the crown off of my head and nimbly removed the pins keeping up my hair. They all clattered from his palm onto the marble countertop.
His hands snaked around my waist and held me close to his chest, "I'm sorry things didn't go as planned."
I smiled at our reflection, "I still had fun; you know, before we accidentally killed two people."
There was a huff of a laugh that escaped his lips. He shook his head, "I didn't kill that first guy."
"He definitely didn't look alive." I was half-teasing. That security guard would haunt my dreams for nights to come, but if I didn't make myself laugh, I would spiral.
Bucky stared at me the way he always did when he was trying to read my body language. I faced him, leaning my hip against the counter. He still looked handsome despite the events of the evening.
I stood and walked over to him. My fingers moved to undo his tie. The fabric slipped easily past itself and fell loosely into a pile with the other clothes. The buttons of his shirt came undone easily. I sighed as I pushed it over his shoulders to reveal his muscular form.
His fingers stroked my jaw, and my eyes flickered to his face. He smiled, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything."
It was a simple answer. I wasn't sure if I knew what he meant. I thought I did. I didn't press for clarification.
We slipped the rest of our clothes off, and Bucky sank into the hot water of the tub. He held his hand out for me. I sat against his chest, and our toes curled together. My eyes closed. Rest.
Bucky played with the ends of my hair that floated in the clear water. We stayed in the tub for a while. I sighed when I noticed my fingers had begun to resemble prunes. "Should we get out?" I didn't want to. I was too comfortable glued to Bucky in the still warm water.
He kissed my shoulder, "Tired, doll?"
"Yes, but I don't think I can sleep."
He nodded and kissed my hair. His hands moved up my body. One held my waist against his hips while the other held my jaw and pushed it to the side so his lips could suck at my neck.
A sigh tumbled past my lips, and I raised my hand behind Bucky's head. I felt him smile against my skin. He lifted me out of the water, dripping all over the tile floors of the bathroom.
Bucky pushed me against the countertop. The mirror glowed back at us. His hand on my jaw moved down to my neck, squeezing slightly and causing me to gasp in his arms. He grinned again and continued biting and kissing at my neck.
His hand around my waist moved down my thighs, squeezing and pinching them. His fingers reached towards my clit and began rubbing circles against the nerves. I gasped again, and his hand tightened slightly.
Stars clouded my vision as Bucky forced one of my knees to rest on the countertop. He pushed me closer to the mirror, bending me over. I saw his smirk in the mirror, and butterflies wailed in my chest.
He pushed into me slowly, throwing his head back and parting his lips at the sensation. I hummed, and his fingers moved up my throat and gripped my jaw once more.
Bucky let out a laugh, "Tu aimes ça?"
His French drove me crazy. At least I understood it.
I looked up at the mirror, making eye contact with his reflection, "Tu es si beau, sergent."
"Mon ange," he breathed against my back. His pace quickened. I watched as his eyes roamed my body. His hand held my hip steady as he rocked our hips together. Every now and then, he glanced his eyes to the mirror and winked when our eyes met.
It drove me insane.
Blood was rushing in my ears, and I felt entirely too hot. Bucky peppered kissed across my skin, "Je suis fou de toi. J'ai envie de toi. J'ai besoin de toi."
My body screamed for release. I shut my eyes and gripped the edge of the counter. I shuddered, and my legs felt like jelly. Bucky's arm held me up as he collapsed against me. Our chests heaved.
We leaned against each other for a few moments, breathing heavily and fogging the mirror. Bucky lifted me onto the counter and passed me a towel. I absolutely looked like a train wreck. But he smiled at me all the same, "Tu es si belle, mon amour."
I smiled down at the floor. My feet swung above the tiles, and Bucky moved to stand between my legs. I hooked my ankles behind his back, "I don't think this trip was all bad."
"I'm glad we came," he whispered against my forehead.
"I'll have to ask Clint and Nat to clarify their definition of in-and-out missions."
He laughed and picked me up off the counter.
Snow still fell outside. I thought about the party and the two dead men. One of them was Hydra. Good riddance. I'll have to tell Steve SHIELD is still not to be trusted. Bucky still isn't safe.
My stomach churned. Bucky still isn't safe.
But he is now as he sets me down to bed. He is when he's here sleeping beside me. He is when I am with him. And I will always be with him.
I would burn the world to the ground before I let Hydra have him again.
My face buried into the crook of his neck, and we cuddled together under a mountain of blankets. Snow continued to fall lazily into the French streets. Tomorrow, we were to leave for DC and give our mission report.
Tomorrow, I would make a plan with Steve. Hydra will fall.