Winter Is Coming (A Bucky Barnes Fanfic)

Chapter 3: Flurries

"People don't notice whether it's summer or winter when they're happy." -Anton Chekhov

Flashbacks will be italicized and asterisked.

*

Bucky, completely forgetting about his morning sunshine, pulls his long lost friend into a nerve-damaging hug. "What the hell." He mutters over and over. He suddenly remembers her and all her characteristics: she'd been a war nurse, and she pretty much died in his arms. They never started dating or let their feelings show in a romantic sense, but the tension was there for years.

Harley hugs him back while Steve is still recovering from minor shock. Bucky releases her but keeps his hands on her shoulders. "Seriously, what the hell?"

She gives him a soft smile. "I'll explain later."

Fury clears his throat from across the room. "I see introductions are not necessary. Rogers." He signals Steve to come talk to him with a wave of his hand.

Steve recovers and walks to Fury after giving Harley a hug. Before Bucky can ask any more questions, Natasha approaches. "Steve and I have a mission to take care of," she explains. "We'll be back later."

"I think it would be wise to talk things over," Harley suggests. Bucky just nods slowly and follows her out of the room.

*Bucky was hiding behind a shelf inside a train car with his gun. Steve and he had been separated. Continuing to shoot back and forth at each other, Bucky hears commotion on the roof.

"Not more." He groans quietly. The trouble up top goes silent for a while, and Bucky ducks more shots.

The door swinging open distracts him from his next shot and he turns around, ready to shoot whoever comes through the door. He has his finger tightly on the trigger and pulls it as soon as he sees a figure emerge.

"Do I look like an enemy?" Bucky is caught off guard and lowers his gun at the familiar sarcastic voice.

"Harley!" Bucky hisses. The agent at the end of the car has gone suspiciously quiet; he must've been reloading. "What're you doing here? We told you to stay behind!"

"And I can't believe you actually thought I would listen," she retorts, joining him behind the metal shelf. "I've been on the roof fighting Hydra this whole time. Those bastards are everywhere."

Bucky sighs even though he was secretly happy that she was here. It had been more of Steve's idea to leave her behind. The gunman starts shooting again, and they take turns firing at their opponent. Bucky suddenly feels overwhelmed with something...something he couldn't identify...adrenaline. He felt invincible, like he could do anything.

"Harley, can I tell you something?" Bucky asks once the shooting is at another pause.

"Sure." She looks up at him after reloading. "What?"

He can't just tell her. He knows exactly what he wants to say, but he just cannot bring himself to say it. Instead, he does what his instincts tell him is best (or worst).

Pulling Harley in by her waist, he kisses her, something he's wanted to do for a long time. She doesn't push him away like he thought she would; instead, she leans into him and wraps her arms around his neck, kissing him back. Suddenly, they're not on a train anymore. They're everywhere and nowhere; they're floating and reeling.

Bucky lets her go reluctantly and smiles. "I thought for sure you would punch me or something. I really should've made you put the gun down first."