Wanted

Anna let a breath out, finding herself alone in her room again for the first time in a couple of days... She peered down at her manicured French nails, and smoothed her beautiful mid-calf length cocktail dress over her lap as she sat, wondering what she was supposed to do now.
"The stylist will be back up soon, she's got some more shoes to bring up..."
"No problem... Thank you"

Okay, so I wait...

Nerves got the better of her, feeling strange sitting still and quiet after all the fussing over the last 24 hours. The day before, a hairdresser had come to put colour in her hair, along with a wash and cut, and he'd been back this morning to straighten and style it. Pepper had been in this morning while that was going on, going over and over all the things she could and couldn't say during her interview. They'd role-played, Pepper doing her best to trick Anna into saying the wrong thing, and to her credit, she'd passed the test with flying colours.
By the time the makeup artist had arrived, Pepper had left to go take care of a few things, leaving  Anna there to get made up, while a manicurist got started on her at the same time.

Jesus Christ...

She stood up from her seat, making her way over to the kitchen bench to unplug her phone from the charger. She opened up her inbox, double checking that there was nothing new in there, which there wasn't. She pursued her lips, opening up the 'new message' option, typing Bucky's name into the recipient box.

Anna, 11.42am
Hey...

No, delete that...

Anna, 11.42am
So I...

No... Delete that, too

She crossed her messenger off, feeling like an idiot all over again and deciding not to message him. Suddenly she was on edge, and annoyed with herself for chickening out.

The stylist wasn't back yet, Anna glancing up at the clock on the wall as she made her way over to the window, peering down at the young recruits training outside in the cold. There they were, working their asses off in the sleet while she stood made up, styled, and dressed from head to toe in couture...

She sighed again, suddenly feeling selfish with the urge to pull a pair of boots on and go see if there was anything she could do to help out.

Her phone vibrated in her hand, Anna looking down at it as she pulled her mind back into reality long enough to read the message.

Bucky, 2.53pm
Are you a princess yet?

Anna giggled out loud - knowing full well Bucky was the only one who'd get away with calling her that after their lengthy text message chat the night before... Something that she didn't think for a second that he'd partake in, never mind initiate...

Anna, 2.53pm
No, I did a runner, I'm halfway across state lines as we speak... P.S, your car handles like a dream

She laughed again, her phone predictably lighting up again instantly.

Bucky, 2.54pm
Just so you know, I'm on my way to your room right now, and if you're not in there, you're in big trouble... Even bigger trouble if you took the Jag...

Anna, 2.54pm
Just don't look at the big scrape along the doors, turns out I drive like you #oops

The door lock emitted a beep, Anna grinning up at it until the stylist appeared, along with a young man and woman she hadn't met yet. She eyed them carefully as they wandered in, the man removing his blazer jacket as he approached, handing it to the woman who had her hands full already with a briefcase and a phone.

"Annabelle?" He asked, flashing his perfect, straight white teeth as he put his hand out for her to shake, "Shane Woodley from Vanity Fair magazine"
"Nice to meet you" She answered, smiling back as she shook his hand "You can call me Anna"
"Really nice to meet you too!" He said, looking her up and down, Anna suddenly feeling uncomfortable.
"This is Sarah, my assistant, she'll be recording the interview and helping me out, is there anything I can do for you before we set up?"

Her phone vibrated in her hand again, Anna giving Shane a smile which he returned, waving his hand.
"Go for it" He said, answering her unasked question, "When we get started, I'll have to get you to turn that off though, if that's okay? Any interruptions will disrupt the flow of the interview" He said, keeping his smile.
"No problem" she answered, swiping her screen.

Bucky, 2.55pm
I happen to be a great driver, thank you very much

Anna, 2.56pm
Hmmm... No comment...

Anna, 2.56pm
Okay, so Mr magazine guy is here, and we're 'not to have any interruptions' apparently. I also have to turn my phone off, is that normal?

Bucky, 2.57pm
I'm almost there, hang on

Anna, 2.57pm
He probably won't let you in...

The door emitted it's familiar beep as it unlocked, the handle turning as someone pushed the door open, both magazine staff turning to see who'd walked in. Anna did her best to stifle a grin as she watched what was sure to be a hilarious altercation if anyone tried to kick Bucky out...

"Can we help you?" Came the voice of the female assistant.
"No, I'm here for Anna" He smiled, turning to face her, the young lady suddenly not sure what to say as she glanced over to Shane who was closing his phone after sending an email.
"Sorry, we're about to give an interview and need the room empty" He said, his expression apologetic and kind, "you can take a couple of minutes to say hi if you need, though"
"Thanks, but I'll be staying, you didn't think you'd be left alone with her did you?" Bucky asked, both staff members exchanging looks of annoyance.

"Mr Stark and Ms Potts trust me, I've interviewed them both before..." He started, frowning and shaking his head as if he didn't believe he was even having to justify himself, "Sorry, who did you say you were?"
"Sergeant James Barnes" He said, intentionally putting out his metal hand to shake, Shane looking down at it and baulking, "sorry, my bad..." Bucky smiled, quickly swapping it for the right hand which Shane took to shake.
"Shane Woodley, Vanity Fair" he answered, going from intimidated to curious when he realized who Bucky was - "James Barnes - as in 'Bucky' Barnes, right? The Wint-"
"-Yeah" Bucky cut him off, his grip tightening around Shane's hand as he held it longer than necessary... "That's me, but let's not go there" He said, his expression darkening.
"No problem..." Shane smiled, clearing his throat.

Bucky glared at him for a moment, deciding to let go of him in case he pissed his pants. He smirked at the thought, thoroughly amused.

"I didn't mean any disrespect, I've actually been hoping to come talk to you at some point if you'd be interested?" Shane asked after letting out the breath he'd been holding.
"None taken" Bucky said, smiling back, "and no, my story isn't for sale..."
"That's a shame... If you change your mind-"
"-I won't change my mind" Bucky abruptly cut him off, "and the non-disclosure agreement you signed earlier, ensures that to anyone outside of this building that we never even met" He added with a smile.

Shane frowned and let out a frustrated sigh as he accepted defeat, nodding his head.

"Hey - can't blame a guy for trying" He joked, Bucky doing his best to smile back and appear as friendly as possible, despite his annoyance.
"No problem... As I said before, I'll be staying in the room... You won't even know I'm here"

Bucky turned to make his way over to Anna, giving her the biggest eye roll ever once his back was to the magazine staff, which she giggled at. His expression softened as he slowed down, coming to a stop in front of her. Anna suddenly felt self conscious and wondered why he wasn't saying anything...

"...You look beautiful" He said, keeping his voice low as he took her hand and gently raised it to turn her around.

Anna smiled up at him, almost too embarrassed to speak, managing to mumble out a 'thank-you' before a giggle escaped her.

"And your hair's different" he said, that fascinated look still in his eyes, "I like it"
"Thanks... They made the dark bits darker and threw some highlights in" She smiled, pulling a length over her shoulder, looking up to see Bucky staring at her. She knitted her brows, her eyes meeting his for a moment before his attention darted to the 'business types' preparing the interview.

"So what's happening now, are they taking photos, or video, or what?" He asked, going from awkward to serious again.
"Oh, uh they're going to be asking questions, and recording audio..." She answered, nodding as she spoke and sounding as matter-of-fact as possible, "Tony won't be too far off, he's just stuck on a conference call... They want a photo of us together, and a few of me in various outfits"
"What kind of outfits?" He asked suspiciously, Anna's eyes darting to his again.
"Leather, lace... Some thigh high boots and something skimpy... You know, the usual..." She joked, trying very unsuccessfully no to laugh at how mortified he looked.
"You're not serious?" He asked, narrowing his eyes...
"Bucky..." She shook her head, "If you think for a second I'd pose in lingerie..." She scolded, Bucky unable to hold his serious expression any longer as a laugh escaped him.

"God, I'm freaking out enough over a strapless dress and all... This" she said, gesturing at her face and hair, "never-mind anyone seeing me in my underwear..."
"I've seen you in your underwear?" He teased.
"Oh my god, you have too..." She said, covering her face, "please Earth... Just swallow me up here and now..."

Bucky laughed, pulling her hands away so he could look into her eyes, "I won't tell anyone" he whispered.
"Kill me right now... Please... And make it quick" She whispered back.
"Not if you paid me"

Anna chuckled, letting out a breath as she gathered herself back up again.

"Seriously, are you okay?" He asked, steering the conversation back to the concern at hand, "I was trying to make you laugh, not make you wanna die" He said, giving her a smile which she returned.
"No, you did make me laugh... It's just nerves, but I'll be okay" She said, nodding as she spoke, "...It's just weird, I guess... I've been hiding out for almost a decade and now I'm made up like 'prom queen barbie' and I'm about to give a magazine interview..." she added with a shrug.
"I know what you mean... Well about the hiding out and then being thrown into the public eye... Not so much the dress part" He said thoughtfully, Anna giggling at the picture in her head.
"Really? I think you'd look great in a dress"
"You do?"
"Yeah, you've got great shoulders for it!" She enthused, Bucky laughing now, "I'd even lend you my shoes - they're open toe, see? Much more forgiving size-wise" She added with a wink.

Bucky shook his head as his laughter died down, the pair of them letting out the occasional giggle when they'd composed themselves.

"Thanks for coming down here" She said after a pause, "It's really nice to have a friend"
"Friends?" Bucky asked, brows raised, "I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of commitment" He added, a mock-worried look on his face.
"Oh please - we've shared a bed, you've seen me in my underwear, we've lived together, and we've shared a near death experience..." She laughed, "two actually"
"You're right..." He agreed with a nod, keeping his face serious, "And we still get along after all that - we should really start thinking about marriage - do you wanna tell Tony or should I?"

Anna laughed again, barely able to contain herself, Bucky joining in, much to the annoyance of the staff now filling the room. She fanned her face with her hands, worried that tears had leaked out and would ruin her mascara, Bucky laughing at her all over again.

"Mr Stark!" Came Shane's excited voice, catching both Bucky and Anna's attention, the two of them composing themselves.
"You can, you're better equipped with the whole 'super' situation" she whispered, Bucky letting out a snort.
"You're actually better equipped with the whole 'being related' situation" He whispered back, "He won't suit up and try to kill you..." He added, Anna nodding.
"Hmm... Okay, how about we pump the brakes for now then?" She suggested, Bucky nodding, "besides, I'm tipping you didn't come bearing an impressive diamond ring?"
"It's in my other suit..." he said, patting his pockets, making her laugh again "Friends?"
"Friends" She nodded, giving him a big smile which he returned.

"Anna... You look incredible" Tony beamed as he strode over.
"Thank you!"

He reached over, giving her a gentle hug as to not crinkle her dress or smudge her makeup.
"Ready to do this?" He asked, pulling away, hands still on her shoulders.
"Definitely not" She joked, "but no time like the present, right?"

Tony snorted, letting out a chuckle as he nodded turning to face Bucky.
"Barnes" He said with a nod, more acknowledgement than Bucky was used to from him.
"Stark"
"Come over when you're ready, they're going to do the interview part first to get it out of the way" Tony said to Anna, "Want a drink?"
"Please"
"Scotch?"
"Make it a double?"
"Coming right up" Tony smiled, turning to head over to the dining table which was now adorned with drinks and snacks.

Anna let out a nervous breath, turning back to Bucky who offered her a smile as he pushed his hair back off his face.
"I guess that's my cue to make tracks" He said gently, Anna nodding.
"Thanks again for coming down here, I really appreciate it..."
"Don't mention it" He smiled, "Try to have fun with all this, okay?"
"Okay" She agreed
"Seriously."
"Yes, I will..."
"That includes breathing-" He teased, Anna letting out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
"Holy shit I'm so nervous..." She whispered, "Is it too late to request a kidnapping? I'll give you everything I own right now if you get me outta here" She chuckled, Bucky cocking his head as though he was thinking about it.
"I suppose I could?" He pondered aloud.
"-Okay, do your thing then" She joked, gesturing for him to hurry up, Bucky letting out a soft laugh.

"Try to relax... You look amazing, you've got Tony here to back you up, and we're all having drinks afterward, remember?" He reminded her with a smile.
"Oh right, my 'coming out' party"
"One of many" Bucky laughed, "Here comes Tony with your drink, try to enjoy yourself okay?"
"I will, I promise... Thanks again for coming down here, Buck"
"No problem"

They smiled at each other again, Tony making his way over, handing Anna a drink which she thanked him for before taking a sip.
"Ready?" Tony asked, Anna holding a finger up as she finished the glass and let out a breath.
"Let's do this" She said.



The interview itself was much shorter than she thought it'd be. A few questions had been directed at Tony, giving Anna the chance to take a breath and mentally compose herself. Their interviewer, Shane, had been very tactful, and avoided directly asking anything he shouldn't have, Tony only having to help Anna answer a couple.

They'd decided to be honest about her upbringing with Caroline and Alexander - especially since her photos had been plastered all over television in a high profile missing persons case all those years ago.
There was no mention of anything 'Shield' or 'Hydra' - something that the world security council had kept quiet, instead labeling the DC attack an act of terrorism...

"My upbringing was very monotone... I was raised by nannies and tutors, and to be completely honest, I didn't really know my Mom or Alexander all that well. There's nothing sentimental I could tell you about either of them, because they were just never home" She explained, Shane nodding as he listened, "There was no abuse or anything terrible like that... On the contrary, I actually had a very comfortable living situation all things considered. My problem, was that I didn't have any solid relationships. I was home schooled, so I didn't get to go out and make friends, and my parents were very rigid as far as my not being allowed out of the building without a damn good reason and a full security escort" She chuckled, looking down.

"So you just up and left?"

"Yeah, pretty much..." She confirmed with a nod, "I wanted to go out and experience the real world. Get a job, meet people, make friends, get my own place - all of that stuff. I would never have experienced any of that if I'd have stayed"

"It didn't bother you that they were worried? Yours was such a high profile missing persons case..."

"I wish I could give you a more elaborate response... But to be honest, there was a lot more to it than what was broadcast into the public eye... It was a pretty overwhelming time for me, and for personal reasons, I wasn't able to go back or make contact initially." She explained, "I never saw Alex again, but I caught up with Mom before she died and we talked through some stuff which was good..."



The photo shoot was a lot more fun than she thought it'd be. The photographer took a few of her and Tony together, Anna changing from her cocktail dress to a shiny dark blue backless ball-gown, the hairdresser and makeup artist stepping in to make a few adjustments before more photos were taken.
They went to other areas of the base, Anna being photographed leaning on the glass balcony in her gown, looking over her shoulder at the camera, keeping her look classic and feminine.

"That's a wrap!" The photographer called out when they were all done, everyone applauding. Anna gave a huge grin, taking the time to thank everyone one by one - from the editors, right down to the drinks staff.
Pepper arrived just in time to see Anna still dressed, stopping to tell her how beautiful she looked - beaming much like a proud aunt or big sister would... She sat down with the magazine editor - part of the deal being that Pepper was to go through every photo and read every word written before they left the building.

Anna flicked through the clothes hanging delicately on the rack that had been wheeled in, admiring all the pieces she'd worn, and the few that she hadn't. She smiled to herself, relieved that the first step had been taken, and it'd gone as well as it had.
Shane had been wonderful, and more compassionate than she'd had him pegged for - obviously him being here was going to mean a huge pay day for both him and the magazine, something he wouldn't dare jeopardize by being rude or tactless.

"Congratulations, honey" came Tony's voice behind her. Anna turned around to see him, arms out and beaming with pride. He gave her a big hug, still being careful not to hurt her shoulder which was still quite sore, "I'm so proud of you"
"Thanks so much Tony, I couldn't have done any of it without you... I still can't believe this is even happening..." She said, still amazed.
"Well, believe it" He chuckled, letting her go, "want to see your photos?"
"They're ready this fast?"
"Yeah, they brought their photo and article editor here, Pepper has them all on a tight leash - they're not to leave the building until everything's approved" he explained, Anna nodding, impressed, "well not everything, but the first draft... They'll email us the final draft to approve before it goes to print"
"And when's that?"
"Deadline is tonight, and they'll be on shelves Monday morning"
"Holy shit..." she said shaking her head.

The first photo to be edited was an arty shot of her from behind, leaning on the balcony, the dark train on her dress fanned out behind her. Her head was turned enough to see that eyes had been closed, showing shimmery, metallic lids and long lash extensions. Anna was out of focus in the photo, the dark storm clouds in front of her adding some clarity and drama to the image.

"This will be our 'teaser' image for social media, do you like it?" The editor asked, stepping out of the way for Tony, Pepper and Anna to inspect. The three of them looked over it, and agreed it was the best out of the few shots they'd done for that purpose. They gave their permission, Anna signing the release as the three celebrated with another drink.
The photo went live minutes later, Tony and Pepper both sharing the image and caption on their public social media accounts.

"Meet Annabelle Pierce - the secret daughter of Tony Stark..."

It didn't take long for the comments, likes, and shares to head well into the thousands, Anna having been warned that they would range from kind, to nasty, jealous, or even obsessive... Much to her relief, most of them were from people who were eagerly anticipating a photo, or to know literally anything about her.
The dress had proven to be popular, plenty of people leaving comments on it, as well as comments on her hair which wasn't even clear in the shot, even people discussing her figure or speculating whether she was short or tall, what color eyes she might have, etc...

"This is crazy..." She said shaking her head as someone to her left handed her a bourbon, Anna thanking them with a smile as she let a breath out.
"It's about to get a whole lot crazier..." Tony said, clinking his glass to hers, "buckle up and hang on tight... Cheers"
"Cheers"



The editing team worked hard, getting a basic transcript done, as well as choosing which photos they were going to use. Tony and Anna continued to celebrate with drinks, in between the stylist choosing a dress for Anna to wear for tonight's party.
She got changed, initially feeling a little self conscious in something so tight before the alcohol kicked in- along with a little confidence. Her makeup and hair was touched up, the hairdresser giving her long, loose waves as a contrast to her dark eyed party makeup.

"Ready to go?" Tony asked as she fiddled with the chunky silver bracelet on her right wrist.
"Yeah I think so..." She started, giving a nervous nod, "just one more check..." she added, quickly making her way back into the bathroom to make sure she looked okay.

Anna smoothed her dress down - a strapless black mini-dress that hugged her body. The stylist had picked out matching chunky black pumps, and silver jewellery, making her feel every bit the celebrity she was about to become...



Everybody was in the rec room when Tony and Anna arrived, arms linked. There was a cheer when they stepped in the door, everyone raising their glasses as Anna covered her face, embarrassed, Tony laughing his ass off.
"Somebody get this girl a drink!" Tony called out over the ruckus, Sam giving a nod of acknowledgement  before turning to order her a whiskey on the rocks.
A couple of girls her age made their way over to admire her outfit and congratulate her on 'coming out' to the world. Anna thought back to the pizza night the week before, and it occurred to her that these were the same girls she'd spoken to about Bucky. She smiled at the thought, wondering which of them had asked him out.
She endured a few minutes of friendly chit-chat before Sam called out to her, rescuing her from a situation he didn't realize she needed to be rescued from...

"Thank you so much" She gushed, giving him a big smile as he pulled her in for a big hug.
"Not bad, Pierce... Not bad at all!" He nodded after they parted, looking her up and down before letting out a laugh.
"Oh my god..." She chuckled, shaking her head with complete embarrassment, "stop that right now" she scolded, mock stern making him laugh.
"Here's your drink, miss" the bartender said politely, Anna thanking him with a big smile.

"Hey there!" Came an excited voice behind her, Anna turning to come face to face with Steve Rogers. Before she could answer, he'd pulled her in for an unexpected hug making her giggle.

"Hey Steve" She said, giving him a big smile when he let her go and stepped back.
"You look... Gorgeous"

Anna blushed, it was bad enough that she was still so star-struck by him, and now he'd gone and given her a compliment. She looked away for a moment before offering a very shy 'thank you' back, both of them chuckling at the moment.
"How'd it go this afternoon?"
"Yeah, good"
"Relieved it's over?"
"Very" she said with a laugh, "...There's a lot of people here?" She noticed, looking over her shoulder for a moment before turning back to Steve.
"Yeah, a lot of them are recruits that just got back from a mission this afternoon... Tony thought they should let their hair down, so he invited them"
"Oh... Are they enhanced?" She asked, a little anxiousness creeping into her tone.
"Some are, but they're all good guys, I promise" He smiled, "...Speaking of good guys!" he added, looking over her shoulder, making her turn around.
"Bucky!" She called out, watching his face light up with a grin when he saw her. She made her way over to him and put her arms out to pull him into a hug, Bucky giving her a good squeeze before pulling away and looking her up and down.
"Holy shit... You look incredible!" He said, obviously impressed.

Anna laughed, reaching forward to smooth his shirt down over his chest where she'd wrinkled it.
"Says you..." she said, shaking her head, "look at this shirt - did you wear that just for me?"
"Maybe" he sassed, cocking his head.

They both laughed, Anna gesturing at the bar, Bucky nodding before putting an elbow out to her which she linked her arm through. They walked over, the bartender taking Bucky's order while Anna reached over to pick up her glass and take a sip.
"Can I reserve this arm for later?" she asked, turning to face him again, "just in case these whiskeys go down a little too well?"
"I dunno..." Bucky said as he turned away, "my girlfriends might get jealous"
"HA!" Anna laughed, giving him a playful nudge with her shoulder, Bucky cracking up despite his effort to keep a straight face.

"Anna" Came Tony's voice behind her, having to speak up over the music which had gotten louder.

She turned around, giving him a smile as he leaned in to speak, "There's a few people I'd like you to meet"
"Sure, that sounds great" she beamed, Tony turning away in time for her to lean over to Bucky who nodded before she said anything.
"Go mingle... It's your night" he said with an encouraging smile.
"Thanks Buck"
"And just for ditching me, you owe me a dance later... Okay?" He said firmly, almost as though he was telling her off.
"You? Dance?" She giggled, raising her brows in shock.
"I'm from the 40's!"
"Touché!" She chuckled, "-I'll think about it"
"I wasn't asking..."
"We'll see - I wouldn't want my boyfriends getting jealous..." She sassed, both of them laughing as Bucky shoo'd her away.


As the night wore on, Anna found herself exhausted after having met and spoken with most of the recruits. She made her way across the room towards the bar, only to have her hand taken, and find herself spinning. She came to a stop, eye level with a very broad, firm chest in a dress shirt, looking up into two familiar blue eyes.
"Didn't think you'd get away that easily?" Bucky sassed, making her laugh as he began to move, clearly showing off.

Anna tried her best to keep a straight face and not let on that she was impressed, instead letting her own body move to the beat of the music. She stifled a laugh when his lips parted as he watched her, his reaction spurring her on, Anna rolling her body and tossing her hair before looking over at him again.
Not one to be caught out staring, he reached over, stepping up his own game as he spun her under his arm again, both of them laughing as they did their best to out-dance each other.
Before either of them realized, a crowd had formed around them, making a perfect circle as the song wound up. Bucky gave her one last twirl, Anna spinning three times before she stopped hard against his chest in perfect time with the music. They were both puffing when their 'audience' started to clap, their faces almost touching. They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments, Anna being the first one to break the silence with a laugh, Bucky joining in as he let go of her hands and pulled her in for a hug.

"I guess you can dance, then..." he said, his lips brushing past her ear, making her giggle.


The night wound up, most of them leaving except for a couple of recruits, Tony, Steve, Bucky and Anna who were now lounging on the big sofa in the corner. They all laughed, as Steve and Bucky took shots, Tony having found some of Thor's Asguardian booze.
"I might actually get drunk off this" Bucky exclaimed, Steve and Anna laughing as he poured another round.
"Yeah I think you're already there, pal" Tony chuckled.

Anna reached for one of the glasses, Bucky's eyes widening as his hand shot out to stop her,
"Nooo, Missy..." He said, "not on my watch"
"I wasn't going to drink it"
"Good, I think you'd end up in coma if you lived through it" He chuckled, picking up the glass and necking its contents. He screwed up his face at the aftertaste, shaking his head as he blew out a breath...
"...Holy shit that's strong" he said, Steve having much the same reaction when he'd done his.
"My god, it smells like gasoline" She chuckled, having taken Bucky's glass and given it a whiff.
"Tastes like it, too!"

It wasn't long before everyone headed off to bed, Bucky offering to walk Anna back to her room which she accepted, both of them surprised when Tony didn't complain...
"What a great night..." Anna said dreamily, her arm looped around Bucky's as they slowly made their way down the hallway.
"Best one I've had in a long time" Bucky agreed, looking down at her with a content smile on his face, "thanks again for the dance - I'm dying to know where you got those moves from?"
"It was fun, wasn't it?" she chuckled as they approached her door, Bucky pulling out his key-card and swiping it through the reader, "I may have had a lesson or two - extracurricular activities were a 'thing' for me growing up..." She explained, making a beeline for the couch where she sat and took her shoes off.
"Any other talents I should know about?" He asked, stepping in and pulling the door shut behind him.
"I have a few, actually" She grinned, thoughtfully, "I suppose you'd like a coffee?" she added, assuming that's the reason he hadn't left straight away.
"No,  thanks though" He smiled, "I just came to make sure you got home and got to bed alright... You know, hang around in case you needed me to hold your hair back or anything"

Anna's jaw dropped open, offended.
"Hold my hair back, indeed..." She tutted, shaking her head as she stood up to put her shoes away, "I can hold my booze - I was a bartender only a few weeks ago, remember?" she called from the bedroom, Bucky shaking his head and chuckling at her, "Until some weirdo snuck up on me in the parking lot!" she added,
"Hey, who are you calling weird!?" he called back, answered by laughter as she re-appeared in his line of sight with PJ's in hand as she made her way into the en-suite.

He opened up his phone while he listened to the sound of the tap running, Anna brushing her teeth and washing her face. He scrolled through the pictures, finding a whole heap that Anna had taken of them when she'd snatched his phone away while they were at the bar. Most of them were her pulling funny faces while he sat pretending to be annoyed in the background, followed by a few that she'd snapped when he'd decided to be agreeable and take a few nice ones.
"Oh wow, here's one for your wallet!" she'd joked, Bucky rolling his eyes.

Anna emerged from the bathroom in a fitted tank top and a pair of low slung cotton shorts. She picked a pillow up from her bed, carrying it out with her and dropping it on the couch.
"Plain Jane again" she chuckled, gesturing at her face when they made eye contact, Bucky shaking his head at her.
"You're anything but plain, and you know it" he scolded, Anna giggling as she headed back into the bedroom.

"...Uh, what on Earth are you doing?" He asked, daring to follow her in.
"Getting my duvet" she said as she untucked the corners and pulled it off the bed with two hard yanks.
"Still not sleeping in here, I take it?"
"Nope"
"What's the story with that?" He asked, stepping closer to her where he could gauge her expression a little better, "and don't you dare say it's because you like the couch better..."
"It's because I like the couch better" She said with a smart smile and a wink.

She stepped around him, dragging the duvet behind her which he grabbed hold of to stop her in her tracks.
"Bucky what are you doing?"
"Talk to me" He said with genuine, kind expression on his face as he sat on the edge of the bed, "Seriously..."

Anna let out a breath and looked down, tucking her long, straight hair behind her ear as she gathered herself up.
"You're not gonna let this go, are you?" She asked, straightening up and leaning against the wall, crossing her arms self-consciously.
"Nope"
"Why?"
"-Because I care..." He said, Anna's chest tightening as her eyes shot up to meet his.

There was a long silence between them before Bucky raised his brows in an unspoken prompt for her to explain herself, Anna swallowing hard before she spoke up.

"It's no big deal, really..." She started, not quite sure why she felt so nervous, "I guess I just feel safer on the couch"

Bucky nodded, trying to understand what she meant.
"And why's that?" he asked, his voice quiet and understanding.
"I dunno, smaller space, near an exit? ...Not near that damned window" she chuckled nervously, shaking her head.
"I honestly get it" He nodded with a smile, Anna a little shocked, "A combination of all that time on the run, with a side of 'feeling locked in a cage', huh"
"Exactly" she said with a shy smile, nodding as she thought more about his analogy, "-and cages are fine, so long as you're not locked in with a hungry, pissed off lion, right?" She joked, Bucky's expression going from light hearted, to serious again as the penny dropped...

He let out a breath, pushing his hair back,
"You know..." he started, "No matter how you feel, you really are safe here... Okay?"
Anna smiled and nodded, Bucky picking straight away that she didn't believe that for a second, and was purely humoring him.
"I'm serious, if someone was in this building, there'd be two super soldiers, and a guy in an armed tin-man suit here so fast it'd make your head spin" He chuckled, Anna softening a little as she joined in.
"I know" she started, her voice quiet as she nodded
"But?"
"You'd have no idea I was being kidnapped or murdered in this room if I couldn't call for help, would you?" She pointed out, Bucky suddenly feeling sick at the thought.

She broke the awkwardness off with a giggle, shaking her head at how ridiculous this whole conversation was.
"It doesn't matter - I'm a terrible sleeper anyway, and if this is the way I get through the night, then no harm done. Right?" She smiled, upbeat again.
"You sleep like a baby!" Bucky laughed, -"we have shared a bed, remember?"
"Well I was nursing a head injury the first time, because some big, scary guy chased me through the woods and onto a frozen lake... I was probably unconsciousness, not asleep" She sassed, Bucky shaking his head.
"And the second time?" He asked, Anna hiding a smile, looking away.
"I was probably scared or frozen stiff" she shrugged, Bucky chuckling at her change in demeanor, "Actually, you wanna know something funny about that night?"
"Uh oh..." he said, pretending to be worried, much to her amusement
"Don't worry, it's not bad" she assured him, Bucky gesturing for her to go on...

"You have no idea how long it'd been since I slept through the night after everything with Alex, Nester, and everything in between - I'm talking years..." She started, "And that freezing cold night in the woods, with you in the back of that shitty old car, I had the best sleep ever..." She said, making him smile "honest to god!"

"It's the weirdest thing - I started out so afraid of you, not that I would have admitted it at the time... And it should have been my 'worst nightmare' scenario - back of a car, in the cold and dark, alone in the arms of a 'super powered' killer/kidnapper guy - and the gun under my pillow... No phone service, out in the woods in the middle of nowhere, after a break in, car chase and shoot out" she chuckled, shaking her head, "I was beyond terrified, but for some reason when you put your arms around me I just felt... Safe..." She said, trailing off.

She peered up at Bucky again, his expression indecipherable, making her feel a bit stupid again. She shook her head, listening to the bed move as he stood up.

"I know it's stupid, but I hadn't had that feeling in a while, and I haven't had it since... I guess that's part of why I like curling up and sleeping on the small end of the couch so much"

Anna gasped in shock when she looked up and Bucky had silently made his way over and stopped in front of her. Before she had time to think, his hands took her face as he stepped in, his lips landing on hers where they lingered for a moment before he pulled away. His eyes met hers again for a moment, almost to ask if that was okay, Anna nodding as she pulled him towards her, and kissed him back, Bucky's arms tightening possessively around her.
He pushed her against the wall, deepening the kiss as he gripped her waist with one hand, the other pulling the strap of her tank top down to expose her shoulder. Anna's heart raced as she came up for air, his lips exploring her bare neck and collarbone for a few moments, coming back up under her ear. His stubble brushed against her skin, making her shiver before she dropped her chin back down, his lips finding hers again, desperate and urgent like he was running out of time...

The two of the panted breathlessly, each as nervous as the other as Bucky pulled away enough to look into her eyes. Anna still had one arm around his neck, the other hand flat on his chest while she caught her breath.
"Shit..." He whispered apologetically, shaking his head as he went to pull away, Anna holding onto him.
"What's wrong?" She asked, worried.
"I'm sorry..." He said, gently pulling her hands off him as he stepped back, "this can't happen..."
 
Anna screwed up her face, completely confused as she shook her head.
"Did I do something wrong?" She asked, fixing her shoulder strap and suddenly feeling extremely self conscious as she tried to work out what the hell was going on....
"No... It's not you" he started nervously, before composing himself, "This is wrong... I'm sorry" He added, raising his hands.
"You're sorry!?" She snapped, hurt and confused, "It's not... Bucky YOU kissed ME"
"-Yeah, and I wish I didn't" He said abruptly, his tone uncharacteristically cold, and face deadpan.

Anna suddenly felt like he'd ripped her beating heart straight out through her chest, and was she holding her last dying breath in... She looked down at the floor, her hand having gone to her chest as she tried to gather herself up. Her eyes caught the movement of Bucky's feet moving as he left without saying anything, Anna now suddenly hoping she'd drank too much and dreamed this whole little scenario up...
She was snapped back into reality when the door to her apartment was pulled open, and shut hard, making her jump at the sound.

She took a few moments to think about what has just transpired, thinking that in the space of less than five minutes, he'd gone from her closest friend, to the guy passionately making out with her up against the wall, to the guy who couldn't get away from her fast enough... She looked down on the duvet on the floor, still where he'd dropped it, her chest tightening.

She sucked in a breath and blew it out again, sliding down the wall to the floor where she pulled the duvet up to her chest, holding it as the first few tears fell...


What the actual fuck just happened?...