invisible touch: Chapter 4
Summary:
"Bucky tuned them out, his gaze inadvertently flicking towards Ava. Her lips curved into the ghost of a smirk before she took a long sip of tea from her mug. Bucky’s heart skipped a beat. He knew there was nothing to that smirk–nothing, at least, more than shared amusement at Alexei’s antics. But to his dismay, it threw him off-kilter anyway." When Alexei convinces the team to go on a camping trip for some quality bonding time, Bucky and Ava are forced to confront their feelings for each other. Well, they would, if they had any feelings. Bucky definitely doesn't. Because if he does...well, that's a whole can of worms he's not sure he should open.
Excerpt:
“Something touched me!” she squeaked. Bucky had the audacity to laugh. “Relax, Ave, it’s probably just a fish.” “It was longer than a fish!” Bucky chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. “Okay, then it was an eel. Which is technically still a fish.” “It felt like a snake.” “Eels are kind of snaky.” “That doesn’t help!” She buried her face in Bucky’s neck, embarrassed at her outburst but still unwilling to let go. He was very warm, she realized. It felt nice. “Ava, are you seriously afraid of snakes?” She clutched him tighter. “No.” He laughed yet again and rested his cheek against her forehead. “You don’t have to lie. I won’t judge you.” “It’s stupid.” “It’s not.” “Well, are you afraid of snakes?” “No. But I’m not particularly fond of spiders.” She finally moved her head and looked him in the eye. He was so close now, his lips just a hair’s breadth away. “You shouldn’t have told me that. I might weaponize it against you.” Bucky grinned. “Oh, I don’t doubt it.”
