Bucky is sitting criss crossed on the floor of the living, eyes intently trained on the fur ball in his lap. Much to the chagrin of Pepper, Bucky had found a type of solace within a black and grey Bombay cat. Fingertips brushing its neck lightly, Bucky's eyes were glued to the animals, lips pressed together firmly.

Wanda pauses her movements by the back end of the couch, his back facing her. His shirt is red, fabric straining slightly against his arms, his hair while short, is starting to grow out, the tips licking his shoulders depending on how he moves.

"You want a treat, hon?" Bucky mummers, softer than Wanda's accustomed to. "You hungry yet, baby?" He has only owned the cat for a month, but the two have been inseparable ever since.

Everyone copes in different ways. Thor works out, Clint retired. Wanda took over a town. Everyone had a different type of severity in how they coped with their losses. But bucky? He got a cat.

"You feed her all the time," Wanda cuts in. "She can't be hungry."

If Bucky had been unaware or surprised of her presence, he didn't show it. He shifts slightly, dropping his right shoulder so he could peer at her. His eyes are so bright they nearly burn her, and she feels a laugh bubbling up.

"What?"

"Nothing," she chuckles, moving around the couch before perching on the arm rest. "I've never seen you like this."

"Like what," Bucky grumbles, a light blush creeping up the back of his neck and he looks away. Leaning down, he scratches the cat behind its ears. "Her name's Lillian, by the way."

"Like...content," Wanda answers, suddenly shy as she speaks, "At peace."

To her surprise, Bucky nods, metal hand shifting to scratch below Lillian's chin. Dipping his head, he nuzzled her, and Wanda was taken aback at the tender action. She'd never seen him so relaxed with another living thing, his guard completely down in the presence of the feline.

"Good girl." He mummers into the fur.

Good girl.

The words ring between both of her ears.

Wanda picks at a stray lint on her leggings. "You down for a smoke?"

At this, Bucky pops his head up, eyes wide as he registers her request. It was no secret that Bucky, along with Sam and Clint, dabbled in the devils lettuce; all of them using it for purely medical purposes. At least that's what they told Pepper and Tony, who both vehemently disliked the scent.

"Of course," he replies, his voice low but curious, metal arm still continuing its movements on the cat's fur. "Why're you asking?"

Wanda shrugs, her thumb slipping between her teeth as she picks on the side. "Can I join you?"

His hand stills for a breath of a second, before moving down the cat's back, crawling up again. Lilian meowed contentedly, shifting her paws slightly before her sharp eyes shut lazily.

"I usually smoke before bed."

"It's nearly 8:30."

"And I'm not going to bed yet."

Wanda huffs, crossing her arms in light frustration. Bucky grins, a small tug at the corner of his mouth, and Wanda feels her belly flip knowing she'd been the cause of it.

"Give me your phone." Bucky stuck his hand out, and Wanda froze, staring at him. He blinks a few times, before dropping his hand, turning his eyes back to Lillian. "I'll call you when I start rolling."

It was Wanda's turn to blush. Reaching down, she fumbles in her pockets, silently swearing at herself until she finds the device. She throws the phone to him, nodding. "Okay."

Good girl.

He glances at her before tapping the screen, eyes scanning slowly and she feels exposed. She hopes to god he doesn't go to her notes app. He'd find way too many jottings from therapy, emotional, sentimental bullshit that nobody needed to read. If she's honest, she'd rather him read those notes word for word than see the other notes she kept — the notes about him.

"There," he says, dragging her back from her thoughts. He stood, scooping Lillian up with one arm and curling the feline to his chest. The cat purred, blinking sleepily. Arm outstretched, he placed the phone back into her lap.

Wanda nods appreciatively. "Thanks, James," she whispers, thankful he hadn't pestered her about why she wants to smoke. He hadn't even really questioned her at all, just...agreed.

Bucky smiles softly, reaching up to scratch Lillian once more. "You can call me Bucky, you know. Everyone else does."

"I think everyone knows you better," she says too quickly, slamming her jaw shut as soon as the words left her mouth. He seems to consider this, hand absentmindedly moving atop Lilians head.

He shrugs, turning towards the exit to the common room. "It doesn't have to be like that," he says, voice low, before exiting the room, leaving her mind swirling.

She sits frozen for a few moments before swiping open her phone, thumbs moving about the screen before she reaches the notepad, and begins typing out.

He named his cat Lillian. Maybe after a Grandmother?

Clicking her screen shut, she sighs, leaning her head back against the cushion and stares up at the ceiling for a few moments, shifting in the hopes of finding a comfortable position. Exhaling a defeated sigh, Wanda traipsed back to her room, gingerly sitting against her head board.

Did Bucky know how handsome he was? It was painfully obvious to her, between the chiseled jawline and dark eyes. He is a killer in the looks department.

She wonders if he ever thinks about how she looks.

The thought is preposterous. They didn't really interact much, but now she was about to smoke for the first time in his room. She'd be lying if the thought didn't make her nervous.

Leaning back, Wanda braces her hands lightly on her thighs, tapping her fingers.

Why was she so nervous? It was just another coworker, another person who lived in this pretty prison — the Tower. She rolls her neck, wishing she weren't so stiff.

Her hands drift to just above the knees, massaging the skin there, and she half wished it were him pressing into her skin. He'd probably be gentle, quiet, and would take his time pressing into all the aches and pain. He'd want her to relax, to let him take control, and when Wanda slipped her hand below her elastic, she imagined it was him.

Her fingers were clumsy in the way that his wouldn't be, but she tries, tries to move her wrist and hand in a way she imagines he would. Breathing escalating, she squeezes her eyes shut, pressing her index finger to the area she thought would feel good. But it isn't anything to rave about.

After a few frustrating minutes, she yanks her hand from her pants in defeat, laying back against the pillows with a sigh.

She hadn't ever mastered the art of self pleasure, given her being raised in a war zone there wasn't much time for sex education. She'd always been curious, but when Bucky returned from his stint in Wakanda, his hair newly short and eyes brighter than she'd ever seen, she'd realized she was very attracted to him.

Shutting her eyes, Wanda curls onto her side, and wills her body to calm down, as she couldn't help it find release.