a lion among wolves, bucky barnes (hiatus)

nineteen.

WASHINGTON D.C.
2014

WHEN June woke, it took her a moment to realize where she was.

She became suddenly aware of a body next to her. A knife of alarm pierced her, but the next instant she remembered it was only Bucky, and her panic subsided. He had moved in the night, so his arm no longer fell over June. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up, her gaze moving to the dozing man at her side. It was the most relaxed June had ever seen Bucky.

With a small smile, she threw back the sheet and climbed out of bed, careful not to disturb him. She shuffled across the room on cat's feet to the door and slipped out without a sound.

June made her way back to Steve's room. She reached for her phone on his bedside table and found that she had two missed calls: one from an unknown number, and one from Steve.

Reading Steve's name sent a worm of guilt through June's insides. She missed him so much, but somehow could not conjure the decency to tell him Bucky was hiding out in the last place he would ever look. And how did she have the gall to kiss Bucky, to sleep in the same bed as him, but not consider how Steve would feel when he found out all this? Yes, June knew he would find out. But she had done it all regardless.

And this was one vile act that she could not blame on Hydra.

Swallowing hard, June pressed the "call back" icon beside the unknown number. The dial tone beeped once, twice, three times, and then there was a click. A woman's voice answered.

"Hello?" it said, and immediately an image of a sharp, sophisticated business woman entered June's mind.

"Hi," June replied unsurely. "I'm returning a call. I'm June Ivanski—"

"—Ah, perfect," the woman cut her off. "Thank you for getting back to us."

June frowned. "Who are you, exactly?"

There was a pause. "Who am—what, Fury didn't—? Oh, fantastic," June imagined the woman was rolling her eyes, "I'm very sorry Miss Ivanski, Director Fury was supposed to give you our contact before he . . . uh, before he became unavailable."

"I'm afraid I don't have a clue who I'm talking to," June said.

"My name is Pepper Potts," the woman told her. "I'm calling on behalf of Tony Stark. He'd like to set up a meeting between the both of you, as soon as you're free, if that's possible."

June cocked her head to the side. "Tony Stark? Why does he—"

"—I'm afraid for right now that information is classified, ma'am, per Mr. Stark's request."

"Miss Potts," June said firmly, "I think it's best you know that I don't turn up places unless I know exactly what I'm getting myself into."

A second voice, this time a man's, spoke in the background. "Yeah, uh, that's smart and all, but can we just send a car or something? Like, have her collected? Junebug, you're being collected—!"

The line went quiet for a stretch, then Pepper Potts' voice returned, sounding very exasperated. "I'm sorry about that. If it's all the same to you, this meeting is very important. We'll send a car to Mr. Rogers' apartment at noon."

June's heart thumped with dread. "How did you know I'm staying at Steve's place?"

"We got eyes, November!" the second voice interjected.

"Please," Pepper went on, "it's extremely serious. Watch for the car."

With that, the call dropped. Perplexed, June set down her phone, and determined very quickly that she would not be meeting with any Stark or Potts in the foreseeable future.