Fire and Smoke - Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Chapter 51

We've been camped out inside an empty storage facility somewhere in New Jersey for the better part of a day now. Stakeouts aren't very glamorous or exciting, I've noticed. They're rather dull. Especially if with someone as talkative (: not) as the Winter Soldier. I've kept myself busy by inspecting the contents of the pockets in my new cargo pants. There are so many! It's as though Hydra expected me to go camping. They've thought of everything I could possibly need in any scenario. Hydra takes care of its own, I was told.

Now, I'm sitting on an upside-down container, my feet dangling from the side as I'm twirling my new favorite small, sharp knife around my fingers, round and round and round. I'm waiting for the Winter Soldier to finish his habitual rounds of the warehouse and the surrounding area. I've told him we could just use our heat detectors, but he prefers to do it old school. That's on him. I'm comfortable where I am.

It's dead of night but I'm not tired in the slightest. I haven't felt the need to sleep in a few days, not since I saw that shadow of the red-haired woman, Maximoff. The mere thought of her makes me accidentally mess up my twirling, and the small knife cuts a shallow, fine red line across the back of my thumb. I watch with intrigue as the red liquid pools up and starts slowly trickling down, splattering my cargo pants with small, ruby-colored stains.

"Are you done playing?" The Winter Soldier's voice interrupts my blood gazing.

He's standing right below the container, looking up at me. Apparently, he's done with patrolling. I feel momentarily annoyed that I didn't hear him coming. I need to be more aware. He has still not put down his gun that he keeps slung over his back; apparently thinking he is going to get attacked the minute he parts with it. He taps the container with his left hand (now covered with a thick glove) and the sound echoes in the empty warehouse.

"Still no sign of them?" I ask, knowing the answer, and he shakes his head in confirmation.

With a sigh, I return the small knife to its holster around my calf, then grab a hold of the ledge of the container and swing down, letting myself drop the few feet that remain. I land gracefully, in my opinion rather acing the landing, actually. The Winter Soldier watches me blankly.

"You have to be less..."
"What?" I smirk at him, and he rolls his eyes.

"Ballsy."

"Ballsy? Oh, don't be jealous." I pet him condescendingly on the shoulder and brush past him towards where the rest of our belongings are resting. "If you want, I can tell you what it's like to be ballsy."

A strong arm stops me in my tracks, grabbing me by the shoulder and spinning me around. I'm face to face with a not-so-happy-looking Winter Soldier. He studies my face, which I'm quick to cover with a fake, small smile before he can read my surprise.

"This is my mission, don't forget that, Vernut." He warns me, his voice awfully dark. "You're just one piece of a much bigger puzzle than you know."
I rip myself free of his grasp. I'm not scared of him, but my heart is pounding. I know I'm a good fighter, but I don't kid myself to think I could beat him. We've trained together enough for him to know all of my moves. It's rather comforting in a way, to not be able to be surprised by your partner.

"A rather important piece of the puzzle, don't you forget." I cockily remark, not showing him any signs of my surprise, and his eyebrows rise on his forehead. It's difficult to read his expression as he is wearing that stupid mask of his.

"That might be true, but I don't need you to finish this." He replies, keeping his tone steady as if he's talking to a slightly petulant child, who is not quite understanding what their parent is telling them. "You're just here because..."