Bucky's chest vibrated as he laughed again, minty breath hitting my face. His eyes were intensely blue up this close, no imperfections or hints of green. I had the sudden sensation that I was drowning - unable to stop myself from being submerged by a giant wave.

I laughed too. It felt strange, it was a miracle I didn't shed dust with the unusual sensation. The only other people who had been able to make me laugh were Becky and Sharon.

Bucky flashed his crooked grin, his blue eyes crinkling at the sides. "You okay?"

"Yeah, you?" I put my hands by the side of his head to push myself up. I couldn't be seen straddling the winter soldier. Especially a winter soldier who looked like Simba in the Lion King when he was lying on the ground looking at the stars.

"I don't think I can move much." Bucky winced, shaking his head.

"Oh right." I went to roll to the side of him, leaning on my left leg.

"No don't -" Bucky's hands were on my hips "- I have a slight problem, I can only move..." Bucky reached up to me. I froze. He put his right hand to my cheek, brushing his thumb over my cheekbone. Blue eyes were all I could see. Our lips touched for the briefest of moments under the cover of the parachute, electricity running through every inch of my body. And then Bucky pulled away, looking up at me - waiting.

I leant forward and pressed my lips to his. Blue disappeared underneath brown lashes. His lips were rough yet gentle as they moved with mine. My eyes fluttered closed. A hand was on the small of my back. I sighed into his lips, I hadn't kissed anyone in years. Bucky sat up straighter. I wound my arms around his neck, pulling him closer; his smell washed over me. It was just him and me. I was only aware of him. His hand on my cheek, his other hand on my back. His chest pressed against mine, his smell, his warmth. Bucky's tongue traced my bottom lip. My heart leapt in my chest.

"What are you guys doing under there?" Sam's voice echoed outside. Shit. He snapped me right out of it.

I pulled away from Bucky, pushing myself off of him, not sure what to do, the grass digging into my skin. I couldn't look at him, heat rushing across my cheeks. What on earth had I just done?! I should have stopped it. He did not deserve to be entangled with me. I was a mess.

"I can only move my lips..." Bucky whispered, a low chuckle escaping his lips. Those lips which had felt amazing on mine seconds ago...

"And your neck and your hands and everything else," I whispered back. I tried to be angry, have rage in my voice but I just couldn't. Instead I raised a hand and touched my lips, they were warm, swollen almost and sensitive under my hands.

The parachute lifted. Sam was standing with Becky in his arms. Becky winked at me as she held the parachute up.

"Hello." I smiled, leaning on my elbows, fingers falling from my mouth.

Bucky scrambled up, whilst I tried to regain control of my racing heart. How did I get so lost in him? That one minute of my loss of control would haunt me later, hurt him later. That one selfish moment that I couldn't take back.

"Doll." Bucky held out his hand, calluses decorating his palm.

I took it. Maybe he pulled too hard, or I didn't stand up properly, but I somehow ended up hands on his chest, close, again.

"Thanks," I muttered, trapped by his gaze. Trapped?! Hold up I was not in love. I looked away from him, hoping and praying that my cheeks weren't red. I couldn't get attached, more to the point he couldn't get attached. I couldn't hurt him after all he'd already been through.

"S'alright," Bucky whispered, his hands still holding mine.

"Right let's go back." Sam smirked at me before walking back to the car with Becky, who happened to be smirking like a cheshire cat. Trust her to play match maker.

I stepped back from Bucky, slowly taking my hands from his. "I'll hobble back." I turned from him, following the other two. Push him away, that's what I had to do - James Buchanan Barnes could not get close to me.

One minute I was standing, the next I was over someone's shoulder. Bucky's shoulder. "Put me down!" I started hitting his back.

"No can do, I'm afraid I want to get home before Christmas." Bucky chuckled.

Men in black appeared cleaning up the parachutes. They paid no attention to me, or Bucky, eyes trained on their job. S.H.I.E.L.D agents.

"God dammit James put me down." I snapped, hitting him the back again.

My arse cheek suddenly stung. He'd slapped my arse!

"You Bastard!" I hit his back harder. "You're meant to be a gentleman!"

"I'm trying to help you, you know that right?" Bucky kept walking, ignoring my previous comment.

"I don't want to be helped," I complained, giving up on hitting him. My hair fell into my eyes and blocked my view of the agents as we walked further away.

"Well tough luck... Doll," Bucky laughed.

"Again with the bloody nickname!" I slapped his arse. Two could play at that game.

"Okay, princess." Wait, what?

"No." I crossed my arms over my chest, the clips from the parachute digging into my skin. "No nicknames."

"You are a royal pain in the arse, doll." He squeezed my legs.

"No, you are, Barnes." He couldn't squeeze my legs again, he'd notice the difference in texture, temperature - he'd know it was metal.

"Will you two stop arguing, jeez you're like a married bloody couple." Becky, for god's sake. Really?

Sam laughed.

"We're not even a couple yet," Bucky whispered so only I could hear. Whoa, what?

"What are you saying?" I hit him again, lightly. He couldn't be close already. No. I had to save him.

"Nothing," Bucky muttered.

"Or something." I urged him to continue.

"Doll, you're officially the biggest pain in the arse I've ever met." Bucky stepped over a puddle, making me sway.

"I'll take that as a compliment." I stared down at the ground, he wasn't putting me down no matter how much I complained.

"Sassy." Bucky gripped my legs tighter, jumping over another puddle.

"Stupid." He really was for even talking to me.

"Sarcastic."

"S-" I slid down Bucky's chest as he set me down, completely cutting me off. Shame, it was a good comeback as well.

"We're here, your highness." Bucky smirked down at me, the crooked thing slung across his face so casually. The sun on his face and the wind in his hair and the diving suit made for a pleasant sight - Bucky Barnes was practically the definition of eye candy. He opened the door, holding my gaze.

I was the one who looked away in the end, breaking his gaze and climbing into the back of the car, Bucky following me.

"That was fun." Becky laughed from the front seat, her fingers in her hair, redoing her plait. Not my definition of fun at all. Nope.

"Enthralling," I muttered, pressing myself as far away from Bucky as possible. The car door was cold against my left side.

"Beware the princess is grumpy," Bucky laughed.

"Beware Bucky will be dead soon." I glared at him. He just laughed at me.

"How long have you guys been married?" Sam asked, starting the car.

"Jealous then Sam?" I caught his gaze in the mirror, smirking.

"Why would I be jealous?" Sam kept my gaze.

"The bromance? Don't deny it, chicken wings." I looked away from him, laughing.

"Sam, can you move your seat forward?" It was Bucky this time, he was laughing too.

"No." Sam answered, a chuckle sounding from the front.

That conversation had definitely happened before...

***

Everyone was laughing as Becky explained what had happened.

I sat cross legged on a chair in the corner of the room. Phone in my lap. My hair hung around my face, a baggy Fall Out Boy shirt swamping me. All eyes were on Becky as she used her hands to emphasise her story. I let a small smile spear across my face, she always spoke with her hands even on the phone. A funny sight because the person on the other end of the phone had no idea what she was doing.

My phone vibrated against my leg, a text message from an unknown number. "Hello😃😃😃😃😃😃😃"

"Who is this?" I rolled my eyes, typing quickly and hitting send.

"Guess😀😀😀😀😀" Bucky was sitting across the room from me on his phone. A frown on his forehead and a small smile on his lips, his hair falling onto his cheeks disrupting his perfect jawline.

"A random stranger." I sighed, watching a smirk spread across his features.

"No☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️" So many emojis...

"A pedophile?"

"No😉😉😉😉😉😉"

"Wild guess, but... Bucky?"

"Yes! 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄" This is what happened when you let a one hundred year old loose with technology...

"Have you only just discovered emojis?"

"Yes😋😋😋😋😋😋😋"

"Oh dear..." I rolled my eyes watching childish glee spread across his face. His blue eyes were glued to his phone, metal thumb and flesh thumb gently hitting the touch screen.

"Why aren't you using them? 😤😤😤😤😤". Oh dear god Bucky.

"Because they've just officially been made uncool by a young, model looking 100 plus year old."

"I'm model looking? 😉"

"Most men are these days due to plastic surgery." Becky was still talking but I was no longer paying attention and neither was Bucky.

"I haven't had that 😅"

"Good for you Bucky."

"Are you still grumpy? 😳"

"When aren't I?"

"Good point😆"

I put my phone on my lap only to have it vibrate as soon as it touched my leg.

"You're a 🌟"

"👏" I replied.

"Are you being sarcastic? 😔"

"Guess😀"

"Yes? 😳😳😳😳"

"Well done Bucky 👍"

"Thank you 👑" Wow.

"You're welcome ❄️"

"Is that my nickname now? ❄️"

"Yes ❄️"

"Snowflakes, beautiful but dangerous... ❄️💣"

"Just like me 😄".

I looked up to see Bucky smirking across the room at me, nodding. Those sapphire eyes and pink lips stretched into a smirk. My screen flashed. "You got that right 😃".

I smirked back, nodding."❄️"

"👑"

Maybe Becky was right I was falling, in an uncontrollable nosedive. I had to stop myself. I kept Bucky's gaze, smiling at him. His smirk only grew wider. Most importantly I had to stop Bucky falling. I couldn't catch him. I had to save him from myself.