Perfect Alliance (Bucky Barnes)

Part One

"One, two, three-" Kat counted, walking around the room with a stern look. "Again!" She shouted as her students lowered their weapons. Her pupils sighed, getting back into position, combat sticks in hands. "One, two, three..." The class continued routinely, her students getting more and more precise the more they practised. Before long Kat checked her watch, nodding stiffly for the class to exit the room.

Kat moved toward the mirror, her scarred hands wrapping around the ballet bar. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at herself, dull eyes dancing over her narrow, thin features. As if on instinct, Kat's eyes averted to the door to her classroom, her breath stilling in her lungs as she zeroed in on the large silhouette standing there.

"You can't be in here." She murmured, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. The soldier's eyes came into view then, his dark blue glare making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. "Do you hear me?"

The soldier nodded, stepping completely into the light, his usual leather attire lying flat against his chest. Kat swallowed, trying to keep a brave face. The soldier had visited her a few times over the last couple of weeks, hovering in doorways, his eyes following her every movement as if she were his prey. It put Kat, who was a very skilled black widow, highly on edge.

His blue eyes remained on her as he inched closer, as if willing Kat not to dart away from him like a scared mouse, and for some reason, she didn't. She allowed him to get within arms reach before she sucked in a breath, stilling the soldier like cement.

"Have they sent you to kill me?" She whispered; her voice as cold as ice.

The soldier cocked his head, his eyes looking a little less lifeless, and Kat could have sworn she saw curiosity swimming within them. The tall man relaxed his metal fist, the creaking of the mechanical joint not easing Kat's tense shoulders.

"Do they want me dead?" Finally, the soldier responded, shaking his head only once.

"They don't." It was the first time Kat had heard the man speak English, the tone dark and raspy, but all in all American.

"You're American?" Kat whispered; her eyes wide. The soldier stiffened, as if he hadn't been asked a question about himself in a long time. Kat swallowed, trying to soften her features in hopes of finally satisfying her nagging need to know more about this usually silent man in front of her. "What's your name?"

The soldier swallowed, looking almost bashful under his usual stoic expression. His mouth opened only slightly, as if he had to really think about what his name could possibly be. "I'm not sure." He finally muttered; his mouth slamming shut as his jaw tensed.

"It's alright, I had to cement my name to memory to ensure I never forgot it." The soldier studied Kat's face for a moment, looking thoughtful. The leaders of the red room had taken to calling Kat 'Kira' meaning 'leader of the people', but Kat had managed to hold onto her own birth name. It made her feel like she was still connected with her past, before this hell. "Ekaterina."

"Perfect." The soldier whispered; his eyes still locked on Kat's.

"Yes," she breathed, nodding her head softly. "My parents used to call me 'идеальная маленькая девочка'."

"Perfect little girl." Kat nodded as the soldier translated. There was a moment of silence and Kat thought maybe the soldier had had enough conversation so as she turned to leave the room, she quickly stopped in surprise as he spoke again. "I think my name is James."

"James." Kat murmured, testing the name on her tongue, she looked over her shoulder with a soft smile, surprised at how human the normally terrifying soldier looked. "I think it suits you."