The four of you had returned to the flat in Riga just over an hour ago after a confrontation with some Flag Smashers. You had been hurt in the confrontation but that was too be expected and it really wasn’t anything to worry about. You had assured Bucky and Sam that you were fine, as if they hadn’t been hurt as well, telling them to just go to bed and get some rest. Once they were more convinced, telling you not to stay up too late and to get some proper rest, they disappeared into their rooms for the night.
With a sigh, you walked over to the kitchen. Zemo hadn’t gone to his room yet but the three of you had become comfortable enough around him to not worry about you being left alone with him. You trusted that he wouldn’t hurt any of you, you even trusted that he wouldn’t run just yet, but you couldn’t say that you were completely comfortable in his presence. Something about him put you on edge, you could feel when his eyes were on you, it made you feel warm, but you couldn’t explain his effect on you.
Zemo was sitting on the couch with a book in his hands, you just ignored him as you grabbed a bag of ice. You wrapped the ice in a towel before pressing it to the bruise along your cheekbone.
“Are you alright?” Zemo’s voice made you jump as you turned to him, he was now standing in the kitchen with you. You hadn’t heard him move or approach you.
“Uh, yeah” you nodded, hissing slightly as you turned away from him and pressed the ice to your cheek again. The bruise still tender.
“Do you need any help?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned for your wellbeing.
“No, I’m fine” you assured him with a sigh, turning back to the Baron as to not seem rude, even if you still couldn’t meet his gaze.
“Let me help” he moved closer. You don’t know what it was about him or the way he spoke, but you found it difficult to resist him.
“…fine” you were hesitant but allowed him to offer his assistance.
“Sit” Zemo ordered gently as he took the ice from your hand.
Doing as he said, you took a seat on one of the stools at the kitchen island. Zemo moved closer, casually standing between your legs. It was rare that you were left alone with Zemo, your two friends being a little protective over you, so this was the closest you had been to him and possibly the longest you had been alone with him.
Maybe that was why you couldn’t look up at him and meet his gaze, everything about him was just too intense. The way he looked at you, the way he spoke, even his cologne now that you were close enough to be enveloped by the scent. It was strong but not overwhelming, it was warm and comforting.
You were brought out of your thoughts when Zemo lightly gripped your chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifting your face up so he could more clearly see your bruise. You just watched him as he iced your cheek.
“It’s a nasty bruise” Zemo commented, making you focus on his accent again. A sound you found near mesmerising. “But it should heal pretty quickly. You got off lightly considering you were dealing with Super Soldiers” he reminded you.
“You know” you breathed, unable to raise your voice any higher with him being so close to you.
“Are you hurt anywhere else?” he asked, but you shook your head. It was a little bit of a lie, but you weren’t seriously hurt, just generally sore. “Are you sure?” he asked, not seeming completely convinced. You just nodded in response.
“Good” Zemo nodded, pulling the ice away from your cheek and placing it down on the island behind you. “Turkish Delight?” he offered.
“I’m not a child” you muttered, feeling like he was rewarding you for something even though you hadn’t done anything to solicit a reward.
“I never said you were. I was just offering you a Turkish Delight” he didn’t seem upset or amused with your comment, his expression remaining neutral.
“I’ve never actually had one” you confessed, neither accepting it nor turning it down.
“Then you must have one” he decided for you with a charming smile.
He reached for the vase that he kept his Turkish Delights in, taking one out before placing the vase down again. Unwrapping the candy, he held it between his fingers, you reached for it but only frowned as he pulled it away from you. Was he purposely messing with you?
Zemo raised an eyebrow at you before bringing the candy to your lips. You were stunned, silent and staring at him, unsure of how to react. But he was patient, waiting for a response rather than prying or backpaddling.
Slowly, you came to your sense, if you could call it that, and opened your mouth, letting him place the candy on your tongue. At this point it was fair to say that you were blushing pretty brightly, but you still ate the candy, trying to ignore the way he watched you as you accidently let out a small hum of approval.
“You like it?” he asked, already knowing the answer from your reaction.
“Yeah…it’s good” you nodded, finishing the candy.
“Do you want another?” he offered.
“Sure” you accepted, seeing why he was so fond of the treats. And so, Zemo gave you another in the same way as before, which you accepted with more ease.
“What else haven’t you had before?” Zemo asked curiously as you finished the second candy.
You found the question a little strange, not being sure how to answer it. There must have been plenty of answers to that question. But you thought about some of the things you had had for the first time since joining the three men in travelling to Riga.
“That expensive liquor of yours. Normally just settle for the bottle shelf stuff” you laughed lightly, attempting to ease the tension that surrounded the two of you, still trying to ignore how close he was. You didn’t want him to know how much it was affecting you, though you were sure that he already knew.
“That’s unacceptable” he tutted in disapproval. “Would you like a glass?” he asked.
“Sure” you nodded.
Zemo moved away from you, finally giving you the room to breathe. He rounded the island and fixed you both a drink. You watched him, admiring his side profile as he poured the drinks. Of course, it wasn’t long before he had returned to you, once again standing between your legs as he handed you one of the glasses.
“Prost” he smiled, raising his glass towards you slightly.
“…Prost” you repeated with a small smile of your own, clinking your glass against his.
Zemo watched you over the brim of his own glass as you both drank. “Better, no?” he asked, lowering his glass at the same time as you. “Better quality, better taste, smoother…but the burn is the same” he hummed, swirling the liquid around in his glass.
“The burn is better” you breathed, suddenly returning to the nervous, breathless state he had you in earlier. It seemed to earn a small smirk from the Baron.
“I’m glad you have been enjoying my hospitality” Zemo nodded, leaning towards you to place his drink down on the island behind you. Your breath hitched in your throat when you felt his breath fan against your ear, knowing that your face has heated up as he pulled away again.
“You’ve been very generous” you cleared your throat, placing your glass down beside his, following his lead before turning back to him.
“It’s the least I can do for the people who broke me out of prison” he shrugged.
“Bucky’s going to make sure you go back; you know that right?” you asked, wondering if he thought he could eventually escape you all.
“I will deal with James when the time comes” he assured you, seemingly not worried about future threats.
“You probably shouldn’t tell me that…” you advised him.
“You wouldn’t break my trust, would you?” Zemo asked, his head tilting to the side slightly. You just shook your head, once again being made a little speechless. Did he truly think that you wouldn’t share any concerns with Bucky and Sam? Did he think you would protect him? “How are you finding Riga?” before you could dwell on it any longer, he distracted your racing mind with a casual question.
“It’s nice…beautiful” you smiled softly. “I’m not a very worldly person…I’ve never actually been out of the States before” you admitted.
“That is a shame” he hummed thoughtfully. “There is a whole world out there for you to experience, and you deserve to experience it” he told you, gently pushing some stray hair out of your face.
“Is that so?” you asked with a quiet curiosity. “It almost sounds like a proposition” you commented, your gaze flickering around his face. He had you on the hook and you both knew it.
“And if it was?” Zemo asked, but you don’t know how to respond. Was it a real proposition? Was it some sort of trap? “There is so much to experience in this world, don’t you agree?” you simply nodded. “But what is the point if you don’t have somebody to experience it with?” he shifted closer to you and you allowed it, remaining still as he hooked his finger under your chin, giving you no choice but to look up at him.
“I…I don’t know” you shook your head slightly, but his hold on your chin made the movements subtle.
“There isn’t one” he informed you confidently, but kept his voice low, making the conversation feel intimate.
“And you want me to…accompany you?” you asked in disbelief.
“I would be honoured to have you join me, and it would be my pleasure to show you what you’ve been missing” Zemo nodded. “There are so many things to experience, let me show them to you” he was impossibly close to you now, his thumb stroking over your bottom lip.
“…okay” you whispered, gaze flickering to his mouth before meeting his eyes again, “show me.”
With your prompting, Zemo’s hand moved from under your chin to cup your jaw, leaning closer to you. You instinctively lent into him; your eyes fluttering shut as his lips brushed against yours. Fully closing the space between you, Zemo caught your lips in a kiss. You returned the kiss instantly, having accepted where this was leading a little while ago and craving it for even longer.
Zemo brought his body even closer, touching yours, as his free hand slid up your waist to rest at the bottom of your ribs. Allowing yourself to just let go and experience the moment, you slipped your arms around his neck, helping him shift closer yet again.
You knew that you shouldn’t be doing this, you knew who he was, but maybe that was why it lit such a fire in you. Even with the knowledge of this being wrong, you lost yourself in the sensations. His body pressed against yours, his mouth on yours, his hands on you body, his hair between your fingers. Just for a moment you were able to forget about everything going on with the Flag Smashers, about what Sam and Bucky would have to say if they caught you, even about who Zemo was.
Tilting his head slightly, Zemo deepened the kiss, making you hum into his mouth. You could taste the liquor he had been drinking, mixing with the sweetness of the Turkish Delights. It was addictive, as was he.
You didn’t even hear it, too lost in the man before you, but the sound of a door opening had Zemo swiftly but casually pulling away from you. You watched him, bitten lips parted, left breathless on the stool as he walked around the island, picking up his half empty glass like nothing had happened.
Your attention turned to Sam as he walked into the room, nervously turning to face the kitchen island and busying yourself with your own unfinished drink.
“Y/n, are you alright?” Sam asked with a small frown, noticing your flushed face.
“Yeah, ‘course” you nodded, not even able to look him in the eyes as you took a drink, focusing on the burn in your throat.
“Leave her alone” your friend warned Zemo sternly before crossing the room, for whatever it was that he had come for.
Bringing the glass back to your lips, you looked up through your lashes to see Zemo already looking at you, drinking from his own glass. You blushed further at his attention but still didn’t break eye contact, not wanting to give him the satisfaction.
Thinking back over your experience with the Baron, you realised that if you hadn’t known who he was you never would have worried about him. He had been nothing but kind to you, often being a refreshing break when Sam and Bucky were bickering, he was generous and helpful.
Finally, you broke eye contact, shaking the thoughts from your mind. Yes, all of that was true, but he was an intelligent man, it could all be an act. But then again, what did he gain from messing with you?
Sam grabbed his laptop, shooting Zemo a glare as he left the room again. The sound of his bedroom door clicking shut being the only thing to break the silence.
“I think you should get some rest; we have more work to do tomorrow” Zemo spoke, one hand gently wrapping around your wrist as his other took the glass from your grip. You just looked up at him with a dumbfounded look, as he placed the glass down on the island that he was leaning over to reach you. You nodded and he released your wrist.
Once he let go of you, you stood from your seat, clearing your throat as you straightened out your clothes. “Goodnight” you mumbled, nodding at him politely before turning to head towards the bedrooms.
“Y/n” his voice stopped you, making you turn back to him, only to see him standing right in front of you. “Goodnight” his hands gently rested on your arms as he lent down, pressing a kiss to your forehead before stepping away from you, “sleep well.”
Once again stunned by the Baron, you turned and left the room quickly while trying not to look like you were rushing. He had told you to sleep well but you didn’t, you lay in the comfortable bed of his Latvian flat, staring at the ceiling while your mind ran wild with thoughts and images of Zemo. You didn’t know what had led to the moment you both shared only minutes earlier, you didn’t know why you felt this way for him, this urge to be near him, but you just couldn’t shake it. All you really knew was that it wouldn’t end here, if Zemo had something planned, it was going to play out until its natural conclusion. Whatever that may be.