𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 | bucky barnes

85: Holding your breath

Catarina stopped holding her breath.  Her chest went up and down quickly, but each gasp was deep.  Bucky didn't stop staring into her eyes.  She didn't want to look away from his.

"You almost died there," Bucky said, eyebrows raised.

"I did," she confirmed, still in a bit of shock.

"You okay?" he said, letting her down.  She was still out of breath and her muscles were strained— he kept a hand on her back to keep her steady.

"Yeah," she replied breathily.  "Thank you."

Bucky didn't say anything back— he just kept staring at her.  His steel blue eyes had a glow of realization.  Catarina looked back at him, just because she felt it was what she was supposed to do.  She loved his eyes.

"Catarina," he said quietly, his hands on her shoulders.  There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice. 

"Yes?" she said, in the same tone.

Bucky breathed in and out quickly, then swallowed.  "I still love you," he blurted.

Cat blinked.  Her breathing became heavy again, and her lips parted.  She waited a moment before answering.  Bucky's face looked almost fearful for what she was going to say.

"Well, then, I'm sorry," Catarina whispered, taking his metal hand off her shoulder and holding it with both of hers.

"For what?" he said.  The fear was evident in his voice.

"For ever trying to convince myself that I didn't love you," she finished. Cat swallowed. "Because I do.  I never stopped."

Bucky let out a breath of relief and smiled a genuine smile.  Seeing him happy made Catarina smile, too.

"I'm going to kiss you now," he said, getting closer.

"You never have to give me a warning," she whispered into his lips.  She forced herself onto him, and for just a second, it was bliss.  There was no Flag Smashers, no Captain America, no Avengers, no HYDRA, no jobs, no missions, and no one else.  Just them.  Catarina heard applause from up above. But their peace was short lived— Bucky pulled away suddenly and turned to the side, catching a piece of sharp metal thrown that way by Karli.  Catarina turned that way, too, as Karli began to run at them— but a shield was thrown into Karli's chest and she was hit backward.  It bounced off her and hit three other Flag Smashers down there with them, then was caught by Sam, who landed just beside the group. 

"Were your eyes open?" Cat asked Bucky quickly.

"Maybe." He walked up toward Sam, and Catarina followed him. Captain American closed his wings as Karli stood up and took off her mask, a disappointed glare on her freckled face. 

"You of all people bought into that bullshit?" she said, staring at Sam.

"I'm trying something different.  Maybe you should do the same," he returned. 

There was the sound of an explosion coming from somewhere above.  On the ground, a metal device let out an opaque cloud of gray smoke around them. Looking up, Catarina caught a glance of a man shooting the smoke bombs from a large blaster. Cat gripped Bucky's hand tightly as her field of view became smaller. He squeezed her hand back to let her know he was there.

She heard people screaming from above, and the noises getting more distant as they ran away from the site. As it rose, the smoke became thinner. Karli and the other Flag Smashers were no longer there, but Catarina could see Sam and Walker.

"This way," said Sam, jogging off in the distance.  Walker, Bucky, and Catarina followed him.  She heard a snapping noise as Sam put his shield on his back.