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Everything within Buchanan Barnes Records shifted the day after Poppy's court date, employees assuming it was just aftershock of it all. Poppy wasn't answering her phone and James gave her Thursday to be alone, not texting her despite how he ached to hear her voice. He admitted something was probably happening that he didn't want to know about.
Poppy was simply resting at home, self care time before the big Halloween party the guys had planned for their bands, partners, and friends. Tony's friend Happy had taken point on her security detail, he was a nervous wreck most of the time around her, which always made her smile. He also had a few guys that kept eyes nearby, including Pietro, overall she wasn't too bothered by it, and everyone knew she was safe.
The Maximoff siblings arrived to her building early Friday morning as she was getting ready. She knew she couldn't drink much, but she would look good and feel good anyways. She wore an olive green tube mini dress with a black cropped Poison shirt overtop, slipping into black thigh high socks and greens doc boots while she fixed her hair. Multitasking is an artform.
She packed her leafy dress, mesh cover, and olive green ribbon heels for the afternoon party. She was applying her burgundy lip color when a beep beep sounds from her callbox.
She presses the button as she looks herself over, "who is it?"
"Maximoff twins, Wanda and Pietro" she heard the blonde agent from the other day. Then Wanda hummed, "we need to talk to you about everything, Little Red Riding Hood."
Poppys red painted nail pressed the little black button, beeping them in immediately. She nervously pulls at her hair as she slipped her stuff into her little red clutch for the day and turned to unlock the door.
As she brews a pot of water for tea, the knock sounds. "Come in guys," she sings. Poppy smiles at the sight of them, both dressed in jeans and band tshirts. She moved from leg to leg shifting, "Wanda, you lied way too well."
The strawberry blonde lifted her hands in defense, nervous brows pressing. "I'm sorry, Ember. Your dad may have hired me long before Mr. Barnes. I really enjoy you and hope you can accept my apology. I hear you've met my brother, Pietro."
Poppy studied her and nodded before smiling at him, "so, you witnessed my little spiral."
His eyes widen, "little?"
She shrugged, "hey, he killed someone I love, but also, had planned to kill me. That's after being an absolute piece of shit since the day I met him. He was a waste of space, and now he's gone."
She looked at them as they share a look, "Alright, little red, we need to talk about....well, you."
She put a hand up, "first, you're telling me your both....hydra?"
Poppy put the teabags in the small tea pot covered in poppies and poured the kettle water in. She brings the tray with tea cups and sugar over to sit with them. The twins sit on her favorite sofa, each grabbing a porcelain cup. She sits on her new big emerald green velvet beanbag chair with a nod. She sits with her knees tucked under her, looking at them expectantly.
"I have to leave in thirty minutes," she widens her eyes expectantly.
Wanda smiled and nods, "I know, me too," she giggles, "I'll drive you." Poppy nods, knowing that'll save some time.
"Yes, we're Hydra, the mafia here isn't the worst place to be you know. New York is the city that never sleeps but it also carries dreams. Your father, he is the best...he is benevolent and fair. It's why I insisted he come," she nods to her twin.
Pietro leans onto his legs with his elbows, "hey, I came for the Siren...Stark was just a perk of the deal." He shrugged as she studied them.
He gauged her confusion, "if we are using simple terms you're a witch, well, a Siren. You're mother was one as well, but she used her ability to be the greatest widow Hydra'd ever seen."
Poppy's jaw dropped, "her ability? What ability?"
Wanda stood and walked to sit on the large beanbag next to Poppy. Pietro laying back on the couch. The two watching her intently, gauging her for worry or fear.
Wanda smiled over at Poppy, "do you ever feel like people find themselves drawn to you, like...alot of people?"
Poppy thought for a moment, sad took in a breath. "Natasha, Olive," she cringed, eyes screwing shut, thinking about her lost friend. "And James, all say that I draw alot of attention but I never seem to notice."
"So your mother never found her anchor or her peace, so when she got hurt she sort of lost control. After her first dozen kills, the chaos and hunger for more became insatiable...thats what we heard. The widow program released her, but in her goodbye performance she broke her back."
Poppy shook her head, "how fuckin poetic.... Shit so that kindof explains her addiction, she numbed it with pills, why she let Ian abuse her for years is beyond me." They both watch her emotions, Wanda feeling her relief letting out a deep breath. "She may have felt she deserved it, see your mother wasn't driven by the same things as you, Poppy. You killed Rumlow because he killed your friend. Anastasia killed anyone for any reason.."
There was a thick silence after Wanda finished, Poppy feeling overwhelmed but somehow closer to her mother.
Wanda smiled at her, "she made you...and ran from Hydra to hide you..."
Poppy nodded picking at her fingernails, "okay so Siren, like the flying bird ladies that lure men to their deaths?" She forced a laugh and ran her hands through her hair, shaking her head.
Pietro stood and looked down at her, "more like an alluring, fascinating, intense little enigma that's also quite dangerous?"
She laughed and shook her head, "okay, so this little red riding hood?"
Wanda smiles, "it's a legend that was passed down since the era of the Shmidt family. The story of the girl with murder in her eyes, beauty in her aura of red, and the heart of a fighter."
She took in a deep breath, "okay what else does the tale say?" She looked between the twins.
"It's a legend," Pietro starts with a smirk, "well, Wanda and I are also..."
Wanda holds Poppy's hand, "you're anxious, yet comfortable, and you are hungry."
The girls giggle, Poppy looked at her, "emotions?"
Wanda nodded, "just empathetically gifted. Pietro can sort of predict movement before it happens, never loses a fight."
Poppy smirks with a roll of her eyes, "impressive. And what? I can attract attention?"
Wanda chuckles and shakes her head, "you're a magnet, you can lure people in, targets. It's a gift, one Hydra never quite found the ability to master, or keep," she smirked and Poppy nodded. The small redhead suddenly questioning everything and everyone in her life.
"It just means it's all a lie." Poppy shrugged, "James may not even-" she sighed, standing quickly and fixing her dress, tears starting to brim her eyes, she quickly swallowed the sadness.
"There is another piece to the legend of Hydra," Pietro sings. She looks herself over in the mirror and looks at her phone. "I'm listening."
"Red Riding Hood has an anchor, sort of her hold on peace, love...most sirens do..but not many find them. The legend and lore call the peacekeeper, White Wolf." She smirks to herself and shakes her head, "yeah, okay."
Wanda stands and walks to look her in the mirror, their reflections staring back, "the legend says that the Hood will burn her first victim alive."
Her brows pressed, "I killed my stepfather first, when he attacked me almost ten years ago."
The twins laugh, Wanda smiling, "he attacked you and you reacted. You ached to kill Rumlow and you did it as legend says...it's you."
Poppy sighed, "let's get to work, I need to get some shit done before the party and we should stop for coffee. I can't talk about this anymore."
Pietro insisted on becoming her private security for the day, Stark agreeing after a quick text. Poppy and Wanda hop into her little vintage red Volkswagen beetle, Pietro following on a motorcycle behind them, "my brother was quite talkative about your kill the other day, hasn't shut up about you."
Poppy chuckled and shook her head, "I guess holding anger long enough for it to fester isn't something I can do anymore."
It wasn't long before Wanda pulled up to a spot right infront of Poppy's favorite coffee shop, the two making it in to grab coffee from Peter before hustling the last block to work. The girls made it in just in time for the morning meeting with all the bosses, it was a quick party conversation of rules and regulations. The tiny orange coily haired hacker avoided all the familiar eyes that morning, focusing on her fingers as they twiddle in her lap.
Poppy quickly makes her way to her office to finish the last of her final project, her new hire arriving Monday morning for training.
Steve approached Wanda's desk while Poppy was deep into work, he felt the difference in the tiny redhead that couldn't look them in the eyes that morning. James felt it the most but he feared if he dug into it, the truth would hurt so he let the chaos go until later, he had too much to do.
Steve couldn't wait or put it off any longer, "Wanda, is Poppy alright? She seems..."
Wanda smirked up at him, almost proudly, "different?"
He hesitantly nodded, "well, yeah. Did something happen?"
She looked at her watch, "let's go grab a bagel from next door, I think there's something you need to know."
Wanda could feel Steve's adoration, concern, his love for the spiral haired siren, that she knew was going to rise. Steve followed Poppy's assistant into the elevator, feeling a thick tension as the doors close. Then, as Poppy worked upstairs, Wanda looked up at Steve, studying him for a minute before finally breaking the tense silence.
"Poppy is falling into line with a legend Hydra has told for a century, Steve. She did something the other day, she is changing."
Steve longed to understand her, what was happening, he couldn't form a word, only staring at the strawberry blonde assistant before him. She sighed, "she will take Tony's place, you know what that means, right?"
His brows pressed as they make their way through the revolving doors, when the fresh air hits her face, she snaps to look at him. In a low whispered tone she says, "Mr. Rogers, the girl you love killed someone Wednesday in a brutal show, the man that killed Olive."
Steve studied the short woman's nervous eyes, "woman I love, no."
She nodded, "I can feel it," she tapped her temple, "I know you love her."
She was right, he did love her, she was his best friend. He felt an odd connection to her, and a need to protect her.
"She will be rising up next to her father, Steve. You guys had to know it would happen," she stated as he opened the door for her. He shrugged and rubbed the nape of his neck, "I mean she has changed alot in a couple of months."
Wanda nodded, "I would assume as much, she let her father in...he is the king of Hydra NYC, ruthless, powerful, and charismatic. Poppy is like nothing we thought she'd be," she smirked as she turned to order. Steve confused, his brows pressing, "you thought she'd be? But Stark didn't know about her until August?"
Wanda paid and turned toward him as he ordered his food. Wanda smiling, "she is actually a sort of myth we all grew up with, but I'm not sure it's my place to tell you all that."
Steve looked at her with sad eyes, "I want to help, Wanda. I don't know how anymore."
Wanda smiled and pat his hand, "you be her friend and maybe pry a little bit," she winked. "She cares for all of you and this job, but now that she let her Dad in, and the temptation...she needs the good things in her life to stay."
Steve knew she was right, but he had already accepted the life she was living, maybe more so than Bucky.
"You need to get her to tell Mr. Barnes, he needs to know, and she won't listen to me."
As the pair walked back into BBR, he smiled down at the assistant at his side. Her chunky heels clicking on the tile, "how did you know I loved her?"
She blushed and tossed her hair over her shoulder, "it's a gift. I can also tell that you're nervous to talk to Mr. Barnes. It'll all be okay," she smiled and slipped her card into his pocket.
"I'll see you at the party tonight, call me if you need anything, Steve." Wanda heads toward the studios to help her other bosses, while Steve gets off at floor 59 to see Poppy.
Round emerald eyes look up from her screens with a tight lip smile at the figure leaned against her door, "hey Stevie." She admired his black suit, sunglasses shoved into the pocket, "please tell me you and the guys are doing men in black?"
He chuckled, "yeah, Bucky liked that he didn't actually have to do much." She smirked and nodded, "of course."
She looks back down and keeps typing, "I'm nearly done with core system 59." He nodded, "good, that's good."
She looked up confused, the tension was obvious and he only widened his eyes and took in a breath when she stared. "Poppy, I know about what happened," his voice was low, quiet.
She looked up quickly her deep emerald gaze locking into his steel blue eyes. "What are you talking about?" He let out another large breath, he was so intensely nervous, but he admitted the thrill he felt with his new best friend, it was intoxicating.
He took a view steps toward her desk, sitting down in the chair across from her as their eyes stay locked. "You killed someone," he whispered and crossed his nervous hands.
She stared for a moment, tilting her head and blinking a few times. She realized he wasn't upset, simply curious and confused.
She nodded, "I needed to do it. He wanted me dead, he killed my dear friend, I would do just about anything to protect the people I love." Her eyes focus back on her personal laptop, she types a few codes onto the keys and motioned for him to come look with a wave of her hand.
When Steve stands behind the tiny hacker he sees a plethora of disgusting intel on a familiar face, letting a small gasp escape his lips. He studies the screen, murder, extortion, using the Petal Pushers name for some scummy deals, he was a disgusting man.
"Rumlow?" He whispered into her ear. She nodded and showed him a video of Rumlow, attacking a young woman in an alley that looked familiar. Steve immediately recognized, the 7969, he really was a monster.
"It was meant to be me, Steve, and now she's gone." She turned her head to look at him, her chair spinning toward him.
Steve's eyes soften and he squats down to look in her eyes, "you did what you felt you had to do..."
Then it was quiet, neither knowing what to say, until Steve stands and walks back to his chair, "so, you're sticking with Stark?"
She didn't look up, only nodded in response, "I am a Stark, this was always set to be my path...I think."
She liked the idea of it being her destiny, that she was always going to be the monster she supressed for nearly a decade. Poppy enjoyed it back then, but if she really was a Siren, then atleast she wasn't crazy.
She twirled her hair when he slowly nodded, he cleared his throat, "you need to tell him."
Her eyes screw shut and she bites her bottom lip, "I am, tonight at the party."
She stood and walked around her desk, "why aren't you angry?"
He shoved her curls behind her shoulder, "I knew the moment I handed you the gun, that I wanted to keep you safe. You're my best friend, well one of them, and I have listened and noticed a few things."
She smiled and wrapped her arms around him tight with a hug. She was feeling less alone in her game of pretend now. "I have like two more hours until I finish this last bit. I'll see you at the party later, Rogers."
An hour later, olive green ribbon stilettos click up the back staircase toward James' office. Her tube dress now covered in green ivy and leaves. She rattles a knock on the door, she hadn't spoken to him one on one since Wednesday at the diner.
When he opened the door, she noticed the hardness to his features, only they didn't soften right away like they normally do. He was upset, and she had a feeling it was because of her.
"Hello, Sir. May I have a word?" She pointed into the only partially opened door, he opens it and looks her over.
"I thought I did something wrong," he stated in an uneasy tone. She pouted and hurried toward him, wrapping her arms around him like her life depended on it. He noticed the way she grasped behind his back, "whats wrong, baby doll?"
His crystal eyes look between her emeralds, she closed her eyes. "I'm working through something, but...I-I need you."
His breath caught in his throat at the way her tone changed, his rose tattood hand holding her cheek. "What happened to you, Poppy?"
James could sense the change in her, a different spark. She only looked up at him with doe eyes and shook her head, "let me do something first."
She knew it wouldn't go perfectly when she unloaded on him, and she hoped sharing herself and the truth with him in the room they first emotionally connected would be poetic.
She closed the distance between them before she palmed his length through his black dress pants, he growled, "Poppy people are here." Her tiny hands tug at the black suit jacket he wore.
She smirked and looked at the door, "go sit in your chair, Daddy."
Another low groan, "Poppy," he was getting flustered and she loved it. He still did as she said, walking and plopping down in his big chair.
She walked up next to him and dropped to her knees, undoing his pants with haste and freeing his already hardening shaft. Her emerald gaze darkens as her red manicured fingers wrap around his girth, smiling at the whimpered moan he let fall from his lips, he missed her touch.
She maneuvered herself under his desk on her knees, her burgundy lips wrapping around his tip. His hand met the beck of her hair, whispering, "my good girl," just as she sends his entire length into her. The tip of his length meeting her throat in a rhythmic fit of contracting around him and their muffled moans.
It wasn't long until she felt his cock pulsing in her mouth, she excitedly picked up the pace. His hands grab hold of her coils as he fills her mouth with cum. The tiny girl on her knees enjoying every drop, as if it was her last. She feared it just may be.
She used her fingers to clean her lips while she crawled and stood from the floor, leaning against his desk. The darkened lustful look of her emerald eyes sent a shiver through James. He fixed himself and looked at her, studying her with a pressed brow, "what is it Poppy?"
She frowned, "I have a confession, and I think I need to tell you now."
Poppy looked down at her fidgeting hands as he rolled his chair toward her, his tattood mits holding hers, "talk to me, baby girl."
She sat on his lap and looked into his eyes, "I have always been honest, I didn't consider myself a pretender until the night I got arrested."
He kissed her jaw and neck, his rose tattood hand meeting her cheek, her plump burgundy lips open and nestles into his touch. She hums as she takes his thumb in her lips, he whispers, "pretending is just pretty lying, baby doll."
She collected her thoughts, "I've been dealing with this intense burning in my chest for as long as I can remember...like a pain that I learned to live with."
She noticed the way his brows furrowed together and touched his cheek, "I just need you to listen, I need the whole truth out."
He nodded, "I'm listening, baby."
Poppy's small hands meet in a tight clasp in her lap as she takes in a nervous breath, "something inside me has always felt high strung, like a flame tied in a knot, since the night I killed Ian. I've had these dreams for years, hued in red and full of anger I never understood. When I started here and let myself submit to you, there was this moment of clarity to the neverending carousel of chaos in my mind. But while I let myself fall inlove with you, I was also slowly letting my emotional wall fall with my father...I've never had a dad..or parent that wants me."
She frowned down at her hands, "I witnessed Nat and Olive killing a man a couple weeks back, haven't been able to shake this impossiblely confusing feeling inside of me since."
She looked up at his eyes for only a moment to witness the pain in his orbs, "Rumlow killed Olive...and Wednesday evening...." she leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I killed him." Then she stood up quickly from his lap, to give him space. Preparing for the worst.
"He was a disgusting man doing horrible things to so many people."
Poppy watched something resembling anger cover his facial features, she pressed her brow.
He looked up as she fixed her dress and walked toward the door. "You just, you killed him...like that?" He spoke in a hushed tone but his words were seeping with judgement that broke her heart.
"I would do anything for the people I love, the bullet was meant for me. Rumlow wanted me, James."
She shook her head and took another step, while he shook his head and ran his hands through his long raven locks. "I just need a bit to process. See you at the party?"
The tears threatened the brimming in her eyes as she turned to motion to her costume, "I'll be there, mostly sober."
Poppy left the building, deciding she didn't like her costume anymore. When she returned with a large bag, she tossed herself into work while straightening her orange locks. As the party started, she remained hidden away, too anxious about making her way down to see so many faces after the week she'd had.
While Poppy typed away upstairs, the guys enjoyed the party she and her assistants put on. Everything was elegant, dahlias and oleander bouquets in burgundy, red, black, and white, silver accents throughout the silverware and tables. Champagne tower and plenty of pumpkins, witch hats, and skeletons.
The one surprise was a large sign reading, 'Halloween with BBR, to the bands and badasses and to those that make us a team. Thank you!'
James was leaning against the large black and silver bar with a bourbon admiring Steve dressed in his men and black suit and sunglasses flirting with Wanda, dressed as a witch.
'We really should of put a rule in the handbook and contract,' he joked to himself as he slid his sunglasses onto his head, pushing his hair back. Tony Stark walked up with his own dark liquor already in hand, he had on a similar look with a blue undershirt and glasses.
"Where is my daughter?" His brown eyes turn and search to floor.
"Well, she told me," Bucky hummed as he lifted his glass.
"Oh, well, apple didn't fall far. Sorry, Barnes." His words were nonchalant and careless as he scoped out the party, nodding to Pietro and Happy both near doors.
"Stark, what the fuck is happening to her. Ready to do such a horrible thing?" He tossed back his drink, searching the brunettes chestnut eyes.
"Come have a smoke with me, kid." He tapped Bucky's chest with walked toward the side door. Bucky locked eyes with Steve and received a nod in return. Sam dancing nearby with Cobie from the Petal pushers as they laugh.
When the two lit their cigarettes outside Stark looked over at the man dressed in a black suit, "you know she was destined to fall into some sort of mania, she never had a choice."
Tony takes in a large puff, "her mother was just like her, a magnetic force. I didn't know it when we had our short time together, but Sirens always are."
Bucky looked over at the brunette Hydra boss, his eyes kinder than he'd seen them before, "siren?"
Tony smiled, "so she didn't talk about the reason she...? Well, turns out, if legend is correct, the tiny fury has not only the ability to attract quite the attention...if someone wrongs a Siren or those they love, they can't behave properly until punishment is distributed. She needed to take him out, Barnes."
Bucky nodded and looked at his watch, the anxiety really sinking in. He is in too deep, inlove with a hurricane of fire.
"This is too much," he hums with a shake of his head.
Tony tight lip smirked, "there is another piece of the legend. One, not as frequented, but...the story of the white wolf, the story states that when Little Red Riding Hood is meeting her truth in chaos, she will be anchored by love. The wolf is meant to bring her peace, keep her humanity."
James dark brows press together, "Stark, you can't seriously tell me you believe all that, sounds like total bullshit."
Tony finished his last puff, exhaling as he locked his chestnut eyes with James crystal stare. He shrugged, "two nights ago, I watched my daughter, this amazingly sweet and spunky little trouble maker...fulfill a prophecy my father told me about my entire childhood."
Bucky nodded and pressed his cigarette out on the brick, tossing it into the can, "what prophecy would that be?"
Tony turned to walk toward the door, slipping his tortoiseshell glasses for Clark Kent, "she will walk them with a purpose to the brink of their end, sealing their fate and her own with fire." He recited and watched James eyes squint in observance, Tony smirked and opened the door, "he was dying by her hand, the man that killed her friend, and she set him on fire."
Then Tony Stark dressed as Clark Kent, made his way inside to enjoy the party. James shakes his head in shock, taking in a deep breath before turning to join everyone.
James scanned the party, many more bands and employees drinking and dancing. He laughed at the sight of members in Clutch dressed as the village people dancing, the Petal pushers as Charlie's angels making their employees laugh with poses and jokes. The music was loud when Steve and Sam make their way over toward the bar where James leaned waiting.
He was waiting for the sight he both wanted to see and dreaded to witness. "Fuckin paradox," James muttered as Steve leaned next to him. "Where's Poppy, everything okay?"
Bucky looked over at Steve, his friend immediately noticing the pain in his stare. "She told you?" Bucky's face contorted to anger, "she told you first?!"
Steve shook his head, "no...Wanda. she's also..." the Steve's eyes caught the sight on the steps behind his friend and he stopped talking.
Bucky glanced over his shoulder, toward the steps, it was like everything slowed down, and there she was...Only, she wasn't wearing what she wore earlier and he felt frozen in his spot.
Poppy was a vision in red, and everyone noticed. Little Red Riding Hood slowly descending the large focal staircase, every eye on her.
「 Everyone was watching her, but she was looking at him. 」
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A.N.
So blown away by the support on this story. Poppy is growing into exactly the chaos I had hoped.
I always love to hear your thoughts along the way. Thanks for being here, next chapter coming very soon.
Thank you the mchase93 for being an absolute gem. 💯