BE THE CHANGE // BUCKY BARNES X OC

TWENTY-NINE

Early this time!
She's a wee bit of a filler but it does link up so definitely worth the read and helps solidify relationships.

Enjoy!

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The day before we were due to go back I was reading a book, relaxing on the daybed out on the back porch, when Bucky dropped down in a huff next to me, startling me from the story. "Do you have to do that?" I hissed. "You know I'm not here when I read." He nudged me gently and I rolled my eyes before I closed the book, turning to him.

"If you ask me to stay home, I swear to God Bucky, I'll tie you to the fucking chair and leave you here." I threatened him, watching him smirk slightly before he laid back, folding his arms under his head and I stretched out, hearing my back crack before I dropped down next to him. "You know rope won't hold me right?"

I smacked his chest, shaking my head at him as I laid down too. "Ruin all my fun why don't you." I pouted, closing my eyes as the afternoon sun filtered through, warming my face. "And what fun would that be Lex?" He asked quietly and I giggled softly as I rolled to him, looking at him with a cheeky grin. "Oh no Bucky, your fragile mind would not handle that." I said softly as I booped his nose.

His nostrils flared as he tensed next to me and I smiled in victory as I shuffled to my back again. It was nice, to just be as we were before going on the run. Teasing and flirting, bouncing off each other and just being silly. "You do know I was tortured right? For like 40 years." I hissed and rolled to him quickly, biting his peck before I glared at him, huffing angrily.

"Not the same fucking thing Buck...do not bring that up again." He frowned at me as he rubbed his chest, his eyes darkening dangerously before I climbed onto his lap and flicked his forehead, my blood boiling at how casually he just threw that out there. I mean I got it, he's learning to accept his past, but I didn't think he'd joke about it like that.

He huffed in frustration and I continued to stare him down, both of us stuck in a stand off, waiting for the other to break, for one of us to give in and I'd have won too had Bucky not grabbed my sides and started tickling me. "Ahh Bucky don't! You asshole!" I squealed, grabbing at his hands to stop.

I giggled and growled, trying to pry myself from his grip, nearly head butting him in the process but even that didn't stop him. Curses and laughter poured out of me until tears were streaming down my face and only then did he finally ease up enough for me to pin his arms down.

"Asshole." I giggled as I held his wrists tightly, refusing to let him go because if he started again I'd probably pee myself. He chuckled deeply with a look of victory on his face and I huffed, frustrated and sore. "You know my ribs will bruise again now." I said flatly as I sat back, letting him go. They would too, my ribs were terrible for that.

He sat up and I climbed off him, dropping back to the daybed. I gasped loudly as he lifted my shirt, exposing my stomach before he frowned slightly and looked at me. "What? You feel bad now." I teased him lightly and he dropped his gaze back to my ribs as he gently brushed his thumb over them, causing my skin to prickle and my breath to catch in my throat.

"You can take a beating and come out with a few cuts but if I tickle you, you get covered in bruises. How does that even work?" He questioned me flatly and I shrugged because I honestly didn't know, it still made no sense to me. He pulled my shirt back down and got up, stretching slightly before he went back inside and left me to finish reading.

☆☆☆☆☆

We arrived back at base just before lunch the following day. 4 weeks we'd been gone. 4 weeks I'd worked through that pain of losing Blackwood and I thought I'd done well until I exited the car onto the tarmac and saw Bertha just sitting there. I felt my anxiety flutter, felt my hands curl into fists, clutching my jeans before I felt Bucky's hand on my shoulder.