Chapter Text
Bucky's phone started buzzing and playing 'Yankee Doodle' as Catina worked on his belt. She stopped what she was doing, plucking the phone out of his pocket and scooting back out of his reach as she eyed him with amusement. "Did you give Steve his own ring tone? Because that's kind of hilarious."
"I'm a funny guy. Give it," he said, rising to his knees and holding out his hand.
"Oops, you have a missed call," she said, glancing at the phone. "Oh and a text. Couple of texts, actually. Do you have a special ring tone for me?"
"I don't have your number," he muttered. "You never gave it to me. I didn't even have a phone until yesterday. Wait, do you have mine?"
"Don't confuse the issue with facts. I'm hurt. No wonder you never call. Come to think of it, you never bring me flowers anymore, either. It's a good thing you're pretty." Bucky's phone buzzed again and she glanced at it. "Oh hey Steve called. Voice mail, too. I think your boyfriend misses you."
"Too fucking bad," he growled, tugging her close and capturing her lips in a deep kiss, snatching the phone out of her hand and tossing it across the room as she wound her arms around his neck and melted against him. He broke away just long enough to peel his shirt off and watch her do the same before leaning over her again, leaving a trail of searing kisses down her throat. She carded her hands through his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp as his lips found her nipples, nibbling and teasing each one in turn until she was panting and twisting her fingers in his hair, urging him lower. He glanced up at her as he dragged his lips past her belly button and planted open mouthed kisses on her hip, humming his approval as she spread herself eagerly for him, draping her legs over his broad shoulders. She propped herself on her elbows to watch, locking eyes with him as he sank between her thighs, sucking in a ragged breath as his tongue parted her slick folds and traced a delicate circle around her clit.
"Fuck you're good at this," she breathed, her head dropping back as he worked her over. He slid his arm under her, spreading his fingers wide across her belly to hold her hips down as he licked a wide stripe up her center with the flat of his tongue and she moaned brokenly, dropping back on the pillows and stretching her arms back behind her head. Suddenly her phone started buzzing on the nightstand and he stopped moving, arching an eyebrow at her when she lifted her head. "Why are you...?"
He glanced pointedly at her phone and back at her. "Might be important," he drawled, turning his head to nip at her inner thigh.
"They'll call back," she huffed as the phone started buzzing again. Bucky pulled away, watching her with a cryptic smile and she swore, sitting up slightly. "It's Steve."
"Answer it," Bucky said.
"What? No. We're kinda in the middle of something, Bucky."
"I know," he said, flashing a playful grin. "Answer it." He tilted his head slightly, holding her gaze as he teased her throbbing clit, applying the barest hint of pressure with the tip of his tongue.
"Fuck," she muttered, grabbing for the phone. "Hey Steve, what's up?" She inhaled sharply as Bucky's tongue circled her opening. "Huh? No I'm fine, I just...Yeah I talked to Bucky, he's okay--oh!" He sucked her clit between his lips, humming quietly. "Huh? No I'm good, it's good. I dunno, maybe he just needs a minute? I just got out of the shower--oh god...what? No, it just felt really good, it was hot outside." He slid his index finger inside her, twisting his wrist to stroke her inner walls. Her head fell back and she bit her lip, holding the phone away from her mouth briefly as she desperately tried to collect herself, her breath coming in short gasps. She swallowed hard, turning her attention back to the phone. "Uh huh. No, I know. It's gonna be fine, I'll get him down for dinner later, okay? Okay," she inhaled sharply, biting her lip to stifle a moan. "Okay. I know, you too. Bye."
She hung up, dropping the phone on the nightstand and grabbing two fistfuls of Bucky's hair, pulling him towards her. He crawled over her, smirking. "Rude, I wasn't done," he complained and she silenced him with a kiss, tasting herself on his tongue. She nudged at his broad shoulders and he let her roll them over, raking his eyes over her as she straddled his hips, pinning his hard length between them.
"Was that a glimpse of an exhibitionist streak I just saw? Or do you just like embarrassing me?" she asked playfully and he grinned up at her with a shrug.
"You're cute when you get flustered," he said. "I mean you're cute all the time, but especially when you get flustered." He slid his hand up her thigh to her waist, squeezing gently. "Are you mad?"
"Don't be ridiculous," she replied evenly, shifting her hips restlessly. He pressed up against her and she inhaled sharply, leaning forward to run her palms up his sculpted torso, tilting her head to catch his earlobe between her teeth. "I don't get mad, I get even," she purred, reaching between them and giving his cock a few firm strokes as she lined him up. She eased back slowly, a low whine escaping her throat as the blunt head of his cock pressed inside her. She sat up, rolling her hips to meet his eager thrust as he buried himself inside her, grabbing his hand and squeezing as she laced their fingers together.
"If this is my punishment-" he began, trailing off as she rocked her hips in a slow circle, bringing his hand to her mouth to slide his index and middle fingers between her lips, sucking gently. "Fuck, sweetheart..." he groaned and she stroked the pads of his fingers with her tongue, smiling coyly.
His stomach muscles flexed as he tried to press deeper but she lifted off of him slightly, shaking her head and letting his fingers slip out of her mouth with a lewd pop. "Ah ah, not so fast, baby," she murmured, leaning forward and pinning his arm behind his head. "So impatient." She bent her neck to brush her lips over his, pulling just out of reach with a grin when he tried to deepen the kiss and he dropped his head back to the pillow with a frustrated huff. "Why the rush? You got somewhere you need to be, Sergeant Barnes?"
"This is exactly where I want to be." He gazed up at her, blue eyes dark and heavy as they raked over her body, settling on her lips briefly before meeting her eyes again. "You gonna make me beg, doll?"
She arched her back slightly, biting down on her lower lip as she pushed back against him. "Maybe," she breathed. "Maybe I just want to make this last." She lifted up abruptly and gradually sank down again, her eyes drifting shut at the sensation of his thick member dragging through her slick inner walls, his thighs tense beneath her as she began riding him at a torturously slow pace. He bent his knees to support her as she found her rhythm, bracing her hands on his chest.
"So beautiful," he murmured. His hand slid up her side to cup one breast gently, her taut nipple grazing his palm with every swaying movement. "Feel so fucking good, pretty girl, so soft." A low moan escaped her lips and her head dropped forward, her long, black hair tickling his chest. He wrapped his fingers around her jaw and guided her towards him for a deep kiss, their tongues tangling lazily until she broke away, panting into his mouth.
"Fuck, Bucky," she whined, riding him faster now, bearing down on him, her breaths coming in short gasps against his neck. "Fuck, I'm so close. I can't..."
"Yes you can. Come on baby let go, I wanna feel you, Cat," he rumbled, his hand drifting down her side to grip her ass as she ground harder against him. "You take what you want from me, sweetheart, whatever you need, you tell me and it's yours."
"Fuck, keep talking," she gasped, and he snapped his hips suddenly, bouncing her forward. She choked out a sob, digging her fingernails into the hard muscles of his chest and he hissed in pleasure, sweeping her hair over her shoulder and growling pure filth into her ear, begging and pleading and praising her. She started to tremble, panting his name and scratching furrows into his flesh as she chased her release. Bucky slid his hand between them, his thumb brushing her clit in a rough circle and she went rigid, back arched and mouth open in a silent scream as her muscles clamped down hard around his throbbing cock. He gripped her waist hard to hold her steady and pistoned into her, his thrusts fast and hard until he came with a growl, his fingers bruising her pale flesh.
He glanced down as he regained control and loosened his grip with a wince, his eyes wide until he looked at her face and found her smiling down at him. He exhaled deeply as she draped herself over his broad chest, shuffling her knees up against his ribs and settling into a more comfortable position, being careful not to let him slip out of her. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, stroking her back as she sighed contentedly. "Are you okay?" His voice was a low rumble that she felt more than heard.
She huffed a laugh, twisting her neck to look up at him. "I don't think 'okay' accurately describes what I am right now, but sure." She pressed a kiss to his shoulder, smiling against his skin. "Yeah, I'm okay. You?"
"Never better," he chuckled. He stretched his legs out and she made a low noise in the back of her throat, shifting against him. "Keep wiggling around like that and we're skipping dinner," he muttered, trailing his calloused fingers down her spine until she shivered.
"That supposed to be some kinda threat, Brooklyn?" She grinned up at him, resting her chin on her hands. "Because I'm perfectly content to stay in this room until I wear you down to a nub."
He barked a laugh, rolling them over and sliding out of her with a groan. "As good as that sounds, and god damn does it sound like the best plan I've ever heard, we need to make an appearance before Mama Rogers kicks the door in to make sure you're okay. I don't think you sounded very convincing earlier."
"No, really? I wonder why that could be!" She swatted at his chest and he covered her mouth with his, kissing her until she slumped back onto her pillow with a sigh. "Jackass," she muttered, tugging at a lock of his hair affectionately. He brushed his lips against her wrist and she smiled at him, tracing the shell of his ear, running her fingertips along his jaw until he leaned into her hand, humming contentedly. Tears pricked at her eyes suddenly and she tried to turn her head and blink them away but he noticed, of course, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
"What's wrong? Did I do something?" he frowned sitting up slightly.
"No, shut up. It's fine, I'm just being stupid," she muttered, sitting up and folding her legs beneath her. She pulled a sheet around herself, looking down at her fidgeting hands to avoid his gaze. He stared at her patiently until she glanced up again, his expressive eyes soft and crinkled in concern. "I'm going to miss this," she said finally. "I'm going to miss you. I hate this. I feel like I just got you back and you're going again and it sucks."
"Catina..." he began but she shook her head sharply.
"No, don't. I'm just having a moment, I'm going to be fine." She swallowed hard, refusing to meet his eyes. "You need to do this, you'll never be able to relax until you try. I'm just being stupid and selfish. Ignore me."
"Not possible. Believe me, I tried," he chuckled, and she cocked her head at him. He reached for her and she slid closer to him, smiling in spite of herself as he lifted her into his lap to straddle his thigh. Even with one arm he could toss her around like a rag doll if he was so inclined which made his gentle touch that much sweeter. "Couldn't stay away from you in Bucharest, god knows I tried. You had me the first time you smiled at me, piersica, I never stood a chance," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I knew I was putting you in danger by hanging around, eventually this shit always catches up with me and I was so scared it'd spill over and you'd get hurt, but I couldn't stay away. And then I got to know you and you were so smart and funny and good. You made me feel...real again. Like I wasn't just this broken thing they made me into. So, if you're selfish for wanting me to stay then I'm worse for dragging you into my fucked up life to begin with."
She stared at him with wide eyes, completely at a loss for words. "Bucky..."
"Let me finish, I need to get this out," he said quietly and she nodded, biting her lip. "I hate that I'm doing this to you. I wish I didn't have to but there's no way I can keep you safe with this shit in my head, it's just a matter of time before someone flips that switch again and maybe next time I don't come back. I'd rather die than go back to what I was and if I hurt you? Or worse? I can't even..." He trailed off, looking anywhere but at her. She rested her hand on the side of his neck, her thumb stroking his jaw and he took a steadying breath before his eyes met hers again, the intensity of his stare making her blush. "I don't have any right to ask you to wait for me. I have no idea how long I'm gonna be under. I want you to be happy and safe, and if that means you're with someone else then I'll live with that."
Her pulse quickened suddenly and his eyes flicked to her neck and back. "Bucky..."
"I'm in love with you. I just...I want you to know. You don't have to say it back, I don't expect anything, god knows I don't deserve you, but I love you and I wanted you to know that just in case...in case things-"
"Bucky!" She grabbed his face in both hands, eyes wide. He ground to a halt, blinking at her. "I love you, too."
He stared at her for a moment, completely blank until a wide grin broke out across his handsome face. "You do?"
"Idiot," she muttered affectionately, drawing him close for a deep kiss. When they came up for air a few minutes later she pushed him away gently, humming under her breath as she scooted off his lap. "We need to get dressed. Go call your mother back, he's worried about you. I'm surprised he hasn't punched the door in already."
He blew an exaggerated sigh but obeyed, sliding off the bed and mumbling something under his breath.
"What was that?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him.
"I said 'Bossy ass Jersey girls'." His hand flicked out to casually catch the phone she hurled at him, sending it back to her in an underhand toss. "That's okay doll, I'll use mine. Thanks though!"
Shuri's lab was unlike anything Catina had ever seen. Any other day she would have been overwhelming the princess with questions and chomping at the bit to press buttons and test gadgets but the gravity of what Bucky was about to do completely stifled all of her curiosity. She was doing her best to put on a good face for his sake despite knowing she wasn't fooling anyone, least of all him. She'd be damned if the last thing he saw before he went into cryosleep was her crying face, though, so she crammed it all down to deal with later and focused on Shuri's incredibly detailed lecture on how the procedure would work.
Bucky was remarkably calm about the whole thing, only tensing when one of the technicians approached to draw his blood. Catina perched on the exam table next to him, dragging her fingernails in abstract patterns on the back of his pristine white undershirt. She'd almost salivated at how well he filled out that tight tank top when he pulled it on that morning, briefly considering dragging him back into bed but Steve had come knocking before she had the chance. He relaxed into her touch, goosebumps rising on his shoulders as she scratched his back, distracting him from his discomfort at the hovering technicians. She pressed a kiss to the back of his neck and he turned his head toward her, lips curving in a small smile. "Doing okay?" she whispered.
He nodded, bumping her shoulder with his. "You?"
"Yup," she replied quickly. He quirked an eyebrow at her but turned his attention to Steve as the blond approached them.
"You sure about this, Buck?" Steve asked, glancing between Bucky and Catina.
Bucky nodded slightly, meeting Steve's eyes with a weary smile. "I can't trust my own mind. Shuri is very confident that she can do it. I need to let her try, for all of our sakes." He glanced back at Catina and she flashed what she hoped was a reassuring smile at him.
"And the rest? Are you sure you want us to go?" Steve glanced at Catina who stiffened slightly but didn't comment.
"We talked this to death already, it's for the best. The others need you and we have no idea how long this is going to take. When I'm up and back on my feet, Shuri will call," Bucky replied evenly.
Steve cast a curious look at Catina and she shrugged. "I'd be totally in the way here and Shuri has a ton of work to do. Besides, there's already people that are annoyed at us being here, I don't want to make things difficult or impose on the King's hospitality any more than I already have."
"That is nonsense, my friend. You are welcome to stay as long as you like. I will just put you to work down here with me," Shuri said lightly, tapping away on a tablet. "You are under my brother's protection here, there is nothing to worry about. No one will touch you."
"That is incredibly nice of you to offer, Shuri, but Bucky's right. It's better if I go so you can concentrate," Catina smiled. "You better text me though, I'm very serious about girl's night. It won't be as good as really having you there but it's better than nothing."
"Oh! You are right, I almost forgot." Shuri handed Catina a couple of small, heavy grey balls which she immediately pocketed. "These are the Kimoyo Beads I was telling you about. I will explain how to use them after we get Sergeant Barnes settled. Speaking of which." She turned to Bucky with a businesslike nod and Catina stiffened, biting her lip. "It is time. Are you prepared?"
Bucky rose to his feet with a nod. He turned to Steve who hugged him briefly, clapping him on the back as he stepped back and out of the way. Bucky turned to look at Catina, reaching out his hand. She took it as she slid off the table, letting him draw her close and wrap his arm around her waist in a tight embrace. "Try not to be too much of a pain in the ass, piersica."
"You're not my supervisor, Brooklyn." He chuckled, stroking her back, and she buried her face in his neck, breathing him in. "You better call me the minute they defrost you or I'm going to be pissed," she muttered in Romanian, glancing up at him through her lashes.
He grinned at her. "Yeah, like I'm leaving you in Natasha's personal spy school for one minute longer than I have to," he replied in kind, leaning in to kiss her gently. "I'll see you soon," he murmured against her lips and she nodded, blinking back tears as she reluctantly let him go. He took his place in the cryostasis chamber, tossing a slow wink at her as the door slid shut. He straightened as the machine hummed to life, looking gorgeous and utterly relaxed as he leaned back against the headrest, his nostrils flaring slightly as the temperature instantly dropped to 0 Kelvin and frost obscured him from sight.
Shuri scanned the monitors, comparing them to the readouts on her tablet and nodded. "He is stable," she said firmly and Catina released a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"Thank you, Shuri."
"Of course! Do not worry, my friend. Sergeant Barnes is in excellent hands," Shuri smiled, hugging her. "Now off with you, I have work to do."
Catina and Steve took one last look at the frost-lined chamber, Bucky's outline barely visible within. Steve wrapped his arm around her shoulder in a friendly hug and she smiled, leaning on him as he led her out of the lab and to their rooms.
They departed Wakanda that afternoon. T'Challa's official confirmation ceremony was happening soon and they both assumed that outsiders wouldn't be welcome, opting to leave quickly rather than risk overstaying their welcome. Catina stood at the window watching the landscape blur as they flew past, idly walking a coin back and forth over her knuckles. She glanced up to see Steve watching her quietly and smiled. "Nat told me to practice, improve my dexterity," she explained with a shrug.
"Nat's a smart woman. She's very happy that you wanted to come stay with her, you know. Wanda, too. Said they have big plans which terrifies me, but at least now they'll quit calling me every day to ask when they can have you back," he said with a rueful grin, moving over to stand next to her.
"You love being the center of attention from all these girls, don't act like you don't." She nudged him and he chuckled but didn't argue.
They stood silently for a while until he reached into his pocket, glancing down at something in his hand before turning to face her, his expression carefully neutral. She arched an eyebrow at him, watching him curiously until he cleared his throat, his bright blue eyes studying her. "Back in the war, the guys got into the habit of giving me their personal effects just in case. Letters for their mothers, wedding rings, things like that. Small stuff that could be lost forever if they got unlucky around one of the HYDRA weapons that vaporized people," he began carefully. She tilted her head, eyebrows knitting together in a thoughtful frown. "They all assumed I would be the last one standing, which...well, they were right and wrong on that one, but that's neither here nor there. The point is, when I went into the ice, I still had these in my pocket. SHIELD had them in storage for years, Fury returned them to me after the incident in D.C. I meant to give them back to Bucky but things happened so fast after Bucharest and...well, I think he'd want you to have them."
He took her hand, turning it over and letting the chain slip from his hand into hers, the two pieces of metal clinking against her palm as they fell. Her breath caught in her chest, eyes wide on his as he smiled at her. After a long pause she finally glanced down to confirm what she already knew was there: Bucky's dog tags. Steve plucked them out of her hand, hanging the chain around her neck as tears slid down her cheeks. She flung herself at him and he wrapped her in a bear hug, rubbing her back as she broke down and cried into his chest, eventually letting go of him after she wore herself out. "Damnit Steve. I'm such an ugly crier, look what you did," she grumbled, scrubbing at her eyes with the heels of her hands.
He patted her on the shoulder as he returned to the pilot's seat. "Don't worry about it. Mama Rogers won't tell anyone you had a moment of weakness, your secret is safe with me."
She stared at him, laughing helplessly. "God damnit, does he tell you everything?"
"Just about," he replied evenly and she blushed, considering the implications of that statement.
"You know, it's a shame that I have all this free time to pick his best friend's brain for dirt. It'd be so sad if I learned any embarrassing stories from when he was a kid," she mused.
"Wouldn't it though?" Steve said, grinning back at her.
"Thank you, Steve. For everything."
"You're very welcome, Catina," he replied softly. "Get some sleep, we have a few hours to go."
Catina curled into the co-pilot's seat, letting the chain slide through her fingers, allowing the steady hum of the quinjet's engine and Steve's solid, comforting presence to lull her to sleep.