The North Star (B. Barnes & S. Rogers)

Chapter Twenty

North shrugs a little as Steve wraps her hands. She doesn't understand the need for it, but he knows that they can both throw a good hard punch that might actually split the skin. And unlike Hydra, Steve doesn't want her to get hurt. Steve had actually wanted to spend more time with her, alone. She's important to Bucky, so she is important to him. And he should make an effort to get to know her. He pats her hands and then stands, North glances down and flexes her fingers before she joins him.

"No powers" He warns as he takes a stance in front of her.

"Spoilsport" She grumbles and shifts her feet to stand ready. She takes a breath and nods.

.......

Turns out that Hydra trained Jotun and super-soldier are pretty evenly matched when they are both holding back. Unlike the last time the two of them fought, neither one is in this to do harm. They're doing this for fun. For bonding. He grabs her wrist and yanks her closer, to him, sweeping his leg out behind her, and sends her to the ground on her back. She huffs a little. He smiles.

"I think you've lost your touch, North" Steve teases leaning over her, she glares up at him.

"I spent the last 20 years in a cell chained to the floor" She reminds him, and he smirk disappears.

"Right" He whispers and rubs the back of his neck. "Right, of course, you did" He groans, scolding himself. North then smirks and swipes with her leg, knocking Steve's out from under him, he lands on his back beside her and then laughs again. "Sneaky," he tells her as he turns his head to look at her, she smirks back at him.

"You're a sucker for a damsel" She points out. "It will get you every time....turn on the waterworks, the sad pity-me eyes..." she turns slightly and gives him a look. "You shouldn't always trust them..."

"Not everyone is playing some con, North" He counters softly. "Some people need help and some people are willing to give it freely...." She sighs a little but nods, she is trying to believe that. He knows how hard she is trying. He sees it every day. He gives her credit for even getting out of bed. Steve stands and holds out his hand to her, North takes it and lets him pull her up to her feet. "Again," He tells her.

............

Steve gets North on her back again and she sighs. She really is losing her touch if some enhanced human can pin her down, and he has her pinned down, his fingers around her wrists by her head. She gives him a look and he shrugs back at her. Something passing between them there and then. He searches her eyes before he leans closer and brushes his lips over hers. Steve doesn't even know why he did it. She was just there. They were close. She was being nice. Light. Calm. Happy. Being around her, he can certainly see why Bucky likes her and feels calm around her. Then he is kissing her. Really kissing her. And she's kissing him back. He reaches up and draws his hand around the back of her neck. She sighs into it before she realises just what is going on and she yanks herself back to stare at him. Steve kind of stares back at her. Both shocked by it.

"Why did you do that?" She asks him as she scoots back away from him, her eyes wide.

"I don't know" He admits. "I....it just happened" She shakes her head. He takes a breath and closes his eyes, he knows what he has to do now. The right thing to do now. "We have to tell Bucky" He states.

"No" She stops him. "No, you can't tell him" He frowns at her. "I don't want him to hate me"

"Why would he hate you?" he asks her. "I did this...I started it, this is my fault"

"He's not going to hate you, is he?" She argues. "He loves you..." Steve gives her a soft look.

"He loves you too" He assures her. She hisses a little and turns away from him. "I know you don't want to hear that. But he does....all of those feelings, they're still there...."

"He's not my Winter" She scolds him. "He can never be who I want...." Steve looks at her sadly. She sighs and then shakes her head. "I'm sorry," She tells him before walking away from him. Steve folds his arms over his chest, his eyes sad.

............

Tony presses a few buttons on his keyboard and then looks at Steve as the footage from the gym plays. Steve sighs realising that Tony saw it all. Steve looks at Tony who raises an eyebrow at him.

"It's not what it looks like" Steve defends, Tony gives him a look.

"So it's not you and your boyfriend's ex-girlfriend making out?" Tony asks, Steve sighs again.

"No, it is...but...." Steve starts and then shakes his head. "Bucky knows, I already told him," Steve admits.

"How did he take it?" Tony asks him, Steve shrugs.

"Better then she did" Steve answers. "He kind of just stared at me, shrugged, said it was okay and then went back to reading his Archie comic" Tony looks surprised by that.

"Really? I would figure that if anything was going to set him off on another episode it would be you kissing his girl"

"Yeah" Steve agrees. "I actually thought that would happen...."

"Maybe he thinks you're even" Tony offers. "You know, he slept with her, you kissed her..." Steve pauses a little and nods. That makes sense, kind of. "So what's going on with you three?" Tony asks. "Do you...like her?" Steve shrugs a little. He must do. He did kiss her. And he did like it. He must like her in that way on some level otherwise why would he have done that? "I think you need to figure that out" Tony points out. Steve sighs and nods. "Before someone gets hurt..." Steve gives him a look. "More hurt" Tony corrects.