Never Safe

Chapter Thirty-One

"Ah! God-damn-it!" Bucky exclaimed as he walked straight into the cling film covering the doorframe.

On the other side of it, you stood with Sam and Clint, and you were all laughing.

Bucky stepped back, pulling the cling film off his face. He pointed at all of you. "You're so dead."

"Mhm" Sam laughed disbelievingly.

Bucky's eyes narrowed. He started swiping at the doorframe, tearing the cling film out the way. He eventually made a hole big enough to step through, and he started running towards you. Your eyes widened as you realised he was specifically staring at you.

"NO!" you screamed as you turned and sprinted. You ran down the hallway, through a door, and into the living room. You knew you could never outrun him. Before you could run past the couch, Bucky caught up with you and grabbed you round the waist. He lifted you up in the air and fell backwards onto the couch so you were on top of him. You tried to wriggle free of his grasp, but you were unsuccessful. Then he started tickling you.

"Fuck! No! No" you moaned and tried to slap him. He didn't stop. You couldn't help squealing with laughter. "Bucky!"

He continued for the next minute. When he finally gave in, you were out of breath. You didn't bother to get up, so you stayed lying back on him.

"I hate you" you panted.

"Aw, I love you too... you can get off me now."

"Mm."

"Y/n, move."

"No, I'm quite comfy where I am."

Bucky shoved you off him, off the couch, and you fell face first onto the floor. You didn't move. Bucky rolled onto his side to look down at you.

"Are you okay?" he laughed.

You didn't respond.

"Y/n? ... please say something so I know you're not dead."

"Piss off" you mumbled.

Bucky grinned at the back of your head. Your hair had fallen over your shoulders, revealing part of the back of your neck.

Bucky saw the symbol again. He reached out and gently stroked his fingers across it.

You threw your head back and Bucky instantly recoiled. You turned over to look at him.

"What was that? It stings."

"You don't know what that was?"

"No." You pushed yourself up; Bucky offered you his hand and helped you to sit up on the couch.

"You don't remember how it got there?"

You paused to think. You tried to pinpoint it, but you couldn't stop all the memories rushing back. You gently squeezed Bucky's hand as you relived it all in your head until you got to the right moment.

"It's a burn scar, right?"

Bucky nodded.

"They... held me down and burned the back of my neck..."

"We don't need to talk about it."

"What is it, Bucky?"

"Uh..." Bucky was saved by the question as Clint and Sam finally entered the room.

"Oh, so you didn't kill her" Clint chuckled.

"You guys look so serious" Sam commented. "What were you talking about?"

"It's nothing" Bucky replied.

"You weren't helping Bucky to think of a retaliation, now, were you, y/n?" Clint accused you.