I'll Always Recognize That Fire
"It's insane," Natasha said in amazement. "I don't think I've ever seen them this clearly before."
"I know right," Bucky responded, and kissed the top of her head. "It's the lack of light pollution. Makes them brighter here than anywhere else."
She curled into him more after that, wanting to stay pressed against him forever. She and Bucky were laying in the fields of long grass near Bucky's hut, staring up at the stars. Her head rested on his right shoulder, his arm wrapped around her. It was late, but she could still hear people wandering the streets of Wakanda, which after just five hours, she was already loving. The atmosphere, the people. She felt safe here, though that was likely also due to the fact she had Bucky back, being curled up next to him. The grass tickled her sides as the wind rushed through the fields.
"You would always take me out for training on the clear nights," she stated. She chose her words carefully, scared about ruining the moment if Bucky didn't remember. "The stars were pretty bright then too."
"You were always so worried someone would come by, realize we weren't practicing anything," Natasha could feel his lips turn upwards against her hair. She smiled, knowing that he not only remembered those nights, but remembered exactly how she felt about them.
"I don't know about you," Natasha started, a smirk finding it's way to her face, "but I think I remember practicing a few things."
Bucky laughed, in the way one might spit out their drink. "Ahh yes," he said once he stopped laughing. "Those were the good ol' days, weren't they?" He was being sarcastic, but she kind of loved it.
Natasha turned off her back to face him. She wasn't concerned about missing the stars, she knew they would be back here, in this same field, sooner or later. Right now, all she wanted to do was look at Bucky, the goofy grin that she recognized from the few times he let his hard exterior go back in Russia. It was like a contagion. The happier he got, the goofier the grin, the more relaxed she felt.
She shuffled her weight again, this time resting with half her body on top of his, her head turned to the side on his chest. His arm followed, pulling her in. She could hear, and feel, his breaths, which were more relaxed than ever. His lips met the top of her head for the second time, before he laid his head back into the grass. This was what she had been missing for years. Even when she had been with SHIELD and the Avengers, and not an international fugitive, a sense of safety and security was missing. She wasn't sure where to find it, she searched for it within each of her teammates, coming the closest with Clint and his family, but it never quite replicated what she had in her mind. It wasn't until tonight that she realized what she was trying to replicate. The snowy nights, the stars, the kisses to the top of her head.
"So," Bucky said, after a few moments of silence between them. It wasn't awkward silence, just resting silence. "How long are you gonna keep the blonde?"
"Don't know," she replied. "For a bit. Gotta throw 'em off my trail."
"You know, you can get rid of the red hair, but I'll always recognize that fire." His voice was soft, like a blanket covering her.
Natasha felt every bone in her body relax into him. She let go of her worries, she had everything she wanted right here. Everything right here, surrounding her. All she needed was his arm around her, his lips against her. She didn't need to go anywhere, she could let everyone look for her. For now, she had him, and she had the stars. She slipped off into her dreams, and for the first time in a long time, she slept through the whole night.