Cold as Ice - WinterWidow One-Shots

The Hitman's (Favorite) Bodyguard

Summary: a continuation/part two of the last chapter, but with Bucky's point of view now.

James couldn't think of a time in his life where things had been better. A year ago, he'd been taking jobs and crossing paths with the damned bodyguard that the black market called the Black Widow. He hadn't even had an apartment to call home. Now, he was living with said bodyguard and sharing a tub of ice cream in their living room.

If he'd been told back then that he'd be happiest curled up on an old sofa with the Black Widow, he would have laughed.

It had been a handful of months since he'd first asked her to accompany him to a dinner party, but even before then, he'd known he was in trouble.

He cooked them both dinner and didn't mind when she stole a bite before it was finished. She made him wash new jeans separately and attempted to help fix his mistake when he didn't. Perhaps she whined about his weapons being left around the apartment, but she tended to scatter first aid supplies all over whenever she came off a job with an injury.

He'd been screwed after two months and it was a bit of a miracle she hadn't noticed.

It had taken some adjusting, but their routines shifted to incorporate each other more than just through texting. James picked up groceries. Natalia picked up the mail. When he went to Europe, he always brought her back chocolate. When she traveled with Stark, she'd make sure to sneak home a fancy bottle of whiskey just for him.

In his arms, Natalia shifted and their limbs became even more entangled than before. If James hadn't been so content, he would have teased her about the octopus she seemed to be turning into.

"You're not eating any," she grumbled, pushing the ice cream away from her.

James's grip on it slipped, but he managed to keep it from falling onto the carpet.

"It's kind of difficult, doll," he murmured, attempting to lift the spoon to his mouth. Natalia's head on his chest presented some challenges, though, and since he knew better than to risk dropping ice cream in her hair, he didn't try again.

"I can move." She pulled away from him, but James tightened his arm around her.

"If I wanted you to move, I would have made you," he told her. He didn't miss her smirk as she settled back into his side.

"Well, when you say it like that."

She returned to her octopus-like state and James set aside the ice cream to hold her better.

As they tended to do after late-night jobs, they ended up falling asleep on the couch together only to be woken up by James's phone ringing.

"Make it stop," Natalia grumbled, pressing her face into his chest.

James fumbled for his phone and didn't bother looking at the caller ID as he pressed answer. He grunted into the phone and heard Steve laugh.

"I guess that means I'm on my own this morning," Steve teased. James just grunted again. "You sleep well, Buck."

His friend hung up without another word and James happily went back to holding Natalia.

Unfortunately, she had an early morning meeting with a client, so she pulled away shortly after Steve had hung up. While James was left to doze on the couch, Natalia quietly showered and ate breakfast. Just before turning to leave, she leaned over the couch and pressed her lips to his.

"Bye, lyubov," she murmured.

"Bye, doll."

She was out the door a moment later.