Budapest » [Clintasha]

Chapter Twenty-Three: Façades

The debrief was monotonous and standard besides one minor detail, James was requested to stay behind. It was a command that caught my attention as the remainder of us were permitted to leave.

"See you later," James disclosed in a low voice. We knocked shoulders and our fingers mingled indiscernibly as I passed.

I directed my eyes front as I marched the bleak grey corridors back to my quarters, but behind me I could hear a flurry of footfalls as someone fought to find me.

The jogging reduced to plodding, and beside me levelled Alexi; shaggy dark hair casting a jagged shadow across his angular features.

He spent a couple seconds gawping at me expectantly, assuming I had anything of besides vitriol to express to a man that evening.

Then his wind-bitten lips smacked, in all their rosy soreness. And the deep breath of preparation was enough to make me roll my eyes.

"So what is it about you and that Winter Soldier?" He asked with merriment, a simmering smile on his goatee rimmed lips. "You and him seem..." He clicked his tongue as he formulated the accurate terminology. "Close-"

"We're not," I snapped, giving him a steely glare as sharp as a razor's edge. If curt answers or muteness didn't ward him away, scathing looks ought to.

His eyebrows shot up at the biting reply. "That's why he glares at every passing man who gives you a looking, like a guard dog?" One eyebrow remained arched like a detective, whilst the other reassumed its position. "And puts his arm around your waist?" He whispered, wary of how such sensitive information may land me in pugilistic corporal punishment. "And whispered something to you moments ago?" He drew out the words with curiosity.

My throat was scratchy with lack of moisture and a click sounded as I swallowed. "Very observant." My breathing hitched, my chest giving an obvious flutter. "Aren't you?"

Out of pride, his chest swelled and he raised his chin. "That's why Lukin likes using me as his sniffer dog." He flashed me a menacing white-toothed grin; it was a smile worthy of a starving shark. "His Red Guardian." He clasped his hands behind his back formally, the military programming his clearly having penetrated every level of his brain and rooted into his subconscious.

"What is it with you and Lukin?" I deflected the question back at him. "Some might say you're very close." I gritted my jaw when he next dared to steal a glance.

Alexi smirked at my fiery nature. "He has my unwavering allegiance," he said. "Does he not have yours?" His head cocked just like a guard dog, I was sure he's clocked on to my unease.

"False pretences don't fool me." My every word was oozing condescension. "Don'tact like you haven't a clue about my past with both Karpov and Lukin," I hissed, my fingers unconsciously toying with the safety latch of the pistol strapped to my hip.

He grinned malevolently at that. "Ouch!" He splayed a hand across his heart and made a pained face like he'd been shot. "The Black Widow really does have a bite!" He playfully bumped shoulders with me.

A distanced myself a few more inches, and I saw the jovial smile on his face slide. "You think you're amusing do you?" I kept my attention dead ahead.

"Just trying to have a conversation..." His head drooped a little. "I'm not trying to offend you!" He blurted, a hint of a blush creeping onto his cheeks. "If I have-" his hypnotic dark brown eyes met with mine. "-You have my sincerest apologies..." There was a pinch between his brows and his lips pressed into a thin line. "I just figured hearing it from the horse's mouth is better than reading what clinical biased nonsense they put in the files..." And for a second, a droplet of trust beaded in my heart. "Censorship doesn't fool even the simplest of minds." He rolled his eyes and scratched the back of his neck.