You're My Mission

“I was right, this is a movie for women,” Bucky sighed as Vivian returned to the snooty saleswomen who had refused her service the previous day. Pretty Woman was a movie I adored, and had insisted Bucky watch to catch up on some of the great movies he had missed.

“Just give it a chance,” I insisted and Bucky shot me a look.

“We’re halfway through the movie, isn’t that enough to say I’m bored?” he replied and I caught on to his teasing tone. I straightened my back, slipping out from underneath the arm he had draped across my shoulders and rising to his lips. His hand travelled down my back and onto my hip as I cupped his face to kiss him, slowly increasing the intimacy. Bucky responded by digging his fingertips into my skin and I pulled away, immediately earning a groan from him.

“Can you please watch the ending? For me?” I asked. Bucky leaned in for another kiss but I moved backwards and out of his reach, raising my eyebrows to show that I wanted an answer first.

“Fine,” he agreed and I allowed him to place a few sultry kisses on my lips before I diverted his attention back to the TV screen. A few minutes later I stood, Bucky’s arm purposefully tracing my curves before falling onto the spot on the couch where I had been.

“Just going to the bathroom, I’ll be right back,” I reassured him, glad to see that his attention didn’t leave the TV for long. As I silently crept into the hallway to not disturb the others who were already sleeping, I figured that Bucky was actually enjoying the movie, he just didn’t want to admit it. It was good to know, and I hoped that it was helping him feel as though he had a place in this new time, as though he hadn’t missed out on much by being frozen throughout the years.

Hushed voices interrupted my thoughts and I slowed to a stop, realising that they were coming from the bathroom, the door cracked open to allow some light and sound to travel through. I leaned closer, trying to decipher what was being said and between who.

“And I couldn’t stop thinking about you, wondering if you were okay, or if Hydra had gotten their hands on you,” came Clint’s voice and I raised my eyebrows at his confession, already guessing who he was speaking too. “It was different this time. I’ve worried about you a million times before, you know that, but after New York, I just…” Clint exhaled and I wondered if Natasha was keeping her steel face on and not responding whatsoever to his emotions.

“I know, Clint,” I surprisingly heard Natasha agree, followed by a period of silence. Then there was the familiar sound of kissing and I almost had to bite my tongue to prevent myself from crying out with delight that I finally had some dirt on Natasha.

Afraid that if I didn’t make my presence known now I might never get to use the toilet, I stepped into the doorway and pushed the door further ajar. Clint was in just a towel, hair damp and making the room steamier with the amount of passion he was kissing Natasha with. I cleared my throat and Natasha leapt away from Clint like he was infectious.

“Sorry to interrupt, I just want to use the bathroom real quick and then you two can get right back to it,” I said, holding my hands palms-up to hopefully help show that I had innocently stumbled upon them.

“You’ve got wonderful timing,” Natasha snapped. “I thought you were busy discussing Hydra secrets with your soldier?”

“It’s called a movie date,” I said blankly before shaking my head at her juvenile remark. “I can understand why you don’t like me, Natasha. I came out of nowhere and clearly me being assigned the adviser on the team pissed you off, so yeah, at first you had a right to mistrust Bucky and I. That makes sense, and I don’t blame you for that. But now Clint is new. You brought in your own lover boy and I don’t have many reasons to trust him. But I’m still going to put my faith in him. I’d appreciate it if the respect could go both ways and-”

Natasha stormed out of the bathroom, pushing past me. I glared at her retreating back and then turned to face Clint.

“She’s tough. I’m sure you’ll get through to her eventually,” he said, trying to comfort me. “But I appreciate your vote. I realise it can’t be easy to trust me, especially if you’ve been suffering from Natasha’s wrath.”

“It’s the right thing to do,” I said with a nod. Clint smiled and gathered his clothes.

“Thanks, Jennifer. I’ll talk to her later, maybe calm her down a bit,” he offered before he left for his bedroom, finally giving me access to the bathroom. After I had finished and reorganised my hair a little, I returned to Bucky in the lounge.

“She kissed him on the lips! She broke her rule!” Bucky exclaimed with excitement upon my return, spinning around and leaning on the back of the couch. I giggled at his expression of glee and hurried back into the comfort of his arms, giving him a good squeeze. “Are you okay? Did someone try to kidnap you on your way there?”

“I wish,” I groaned while running a hand down my face. That probably would have been easier to deal with. “It doesn’t matter, I’ve dealt with it. I just want to relax with you again.”

Bucky pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

“Okay, I can do that,” he agreed and pulled me closer into his torso.

I looped my arm around Bucky’s waist and buried my head into his chest, inhaling his scent. The smell of the men’s body wash and the smallest hint of his sweat became calming and I soon realised that my mind had left behind the drama with Natasha. I began to listen to Bucky’s heartbeat instead of focusing on the movie, and his rhythmic breathing lured me into a sleepy state. Later, I stirred when Bucky scooped me into his arms, effortlessly tilting me to switch off the light and open the door. He carried me to the end of the hall to our bedroom and set me down on the bed, kissing my forehead after he slid his arms out from beneath me. I tilted my head up and caught his lips for a kiss.

“I thought you were asleep,” Bucky whispered against my lips. Lost in his eyes, I felt my stomach clench from anxiety of what I was about to say.

“I think I’ve really fallen for you, Bucky,” I confessed.

He didn’t immediately react and my mind naturally filled with the possibilities of what he was thinking. I began to panic, assuming the worst, until Bucky entwined his fingers with mine.

“I’m really smitten with you too, doll,” he murmured. I was too busy swooning over his old-fashioned sweetness that I almost forgot to return his subsequent kisses.