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Seagulls cried as they flew overhead, the waves crashing against the shore. The sounds of the city carried through the air around them.
Bucky and Steve sat on the warm beach, watching the people walking about and splashing in the water.
“Buck, I just wanna go out in the water. Is that such a crime?” Steve pouted from where he sat beneath the parasol, his arms crossed over his thin chest.
“Well, until you know a guy who can fix your sunburn, you’re just gonna hafta park it here,” Bucky said, not even bothering to sit up from his laying position.
“You’re such an ass,” Steve huffed, looking out at the people splashing in the water.
“Yeah, yeah. I care more about your health than you. Tell me something I don’t know,” Bucky responded smugly, peeking over at the blond.
Unfortunately for Bucky, the blond pouting always worked, hook, line, and sinker.
With a grunt of his own, he raised himself into a sitting position. “All right, all right, you brat. We can go in the water, but hold on.”
With a triumphant smile, Steve started to get up from his spot before being stopped by the bigger man.
“We’re gonna put some of this on you. It should work just fine.” Bucky rummaged through the bag they had brought with them.
He pulled out a small container of petroleum jelly, letting Steve take some onto his fingers and begin rubbing it over his pale face.
“Here, we’ll put it on your face and shoulders. Don’t need you burning to a crisp out there.” Bucky made a spinning motion with his hand, and with little protest, Steve listened.
Bucky’s large, warm hand almost covered Steve’s entire bony, thin shoulder, leaving an almost unnoticeable shiver running up Steve’s spine.
Bucky took his time covering Steve’s freckled shoulders, his hands making quick work of the little space given.
“Okay, okay, Bucky. You’re done.” Steve shooed his hands away, the redness of his ears noticeable from Bucky’s position behind him.
With a quiet chuckle and a sneaky kiss to the blond’s red ear, Bucky stood and held his hand out for Steve to take.
“Sorry. You know how I get when I get my hands on you, doll.”
That quickly received a half-hearted swat to the chest from Steve.
Bucky laughed it off and quickly wrapped an arm around the small blond’s shoulders, practically dragging the man off toward the shore.
The warm pebbles beneath their feet slowly gave way to cooler sand, then to the cold ocean water.
Steve couldn’t help but let out a squeak as the cold water began to lap at his feet. The two slowly made their way into the water.
Bucky let out a heavy sigh before rushing into the water and quickly diving into the deeper end.
“C’mon, Stevie. The water’s fine,” he called through the tremble in his voice, beckoning the blond in.
“You’re crazy, Buck. This is freezing. I’m trying to get used to it,” Steve said, now just barely shin-deep in the water, watching Bucky float around lazily.
“Oh, come off it. You’re the one that wanted in the water so bad. Don’t be a scaredy-cat.” Carding his fingers through his wet hair, Bucky stood back to his full height and walked back toward his friend still standing on the beach.
“I’ll walk with ya. Don’t want the water sweeping ya off your feet.”
Bucky wrapped his arm around Steve’s shoulders again, walking slowly back into the water and trying not to listen to the noises coming from the smaller man.
“F-fuck, this is freezin’, Buck. I don’t know how you just dive in like that.” Steve held onto Bucky’s side tightly, as if that alone could keep him from getting cold as they made it deeper into the water.
“S’alright when ya get used to it. Diving in does that. Now come on, you’re fine.”
Bucky finally let go, much to Steve’s chagrin.
Already waist-deep in the water, Steve finally, with a shaky sigh, dunked himself beneath the surface, quickly raising back up with a gasp.
“There ya go!” Bucky cheered from where he treaded water.
With chattering teeth, Steve managed to wade through the water, getting closer to the brunet.
The two stayed in the water together for who knows how long, splashing each other, and chasing each other through the waves, Bucky making sure to mind Steves ailments.
Bucky watched him carefully, his teasing smile slowly fading when he noticed the way Steve’s shoulders had started to shake.
“Alright, doll. That’s enough.”
Steve frowned. “What? We just got in.”
“Nope, we’ve been in a while, I can hear your lungs from here.”
“I’m fine.”
Bucky gave him a look.
Steve rolled his eyes, but before he could argue any further, Bucky stepped closer and caught him around the waist.
“C’mon.”
“Buck, I’m fine.”
“Yeah, yeah punk I know.” Bucky pulled him a little closer, keeping a steady arm around him as they turned toward shore. “Just don’t want you turning blue on me.”
Steve huffed but didn’t fight him. If anything, he leaned a little more of his weight against Bucky as they made their way through the water.
The waves pushed against their legs, making every step back toward shore a little harder. Bucky kept a firm hold on Steve, waiting whenever the smaller man stumbled against an incoming wave.
By the time they reached the shallows, Steve was shivering hard enough that his teeth were chattering.
“See?” Bucky muttered. “Told ya.”
“It’s cause we got out of the water.” Steve explained through the shivers.
Bucky chuckled, guiding him the rest of the way onto the beach.
They made it back to their spot beneath the parasol, where Bucky immediately grabbed the towel they’d brought along and wrapped it around Steve’s shoulders.
“There.”
Steve rubbed his arms beneath the towel, trying to get some warmth back into them.
Bucky sat beside him, reaching over to rub his hands briskly along Steve’s upper arms.
“Better?”
“A little.”
Bucky continued anyway.
Steve watched him for a moment, his expression softening.
“You always do that.”
“Do what?”
“Worry.”
Bucky snorted. “Somebody’s gotta.”
“I can take care of myself, you know.”
“I know.”
The answer came so easily that Steve blinked.
Bucky glanced over at him, his hands slowing against Steve’s arms.
“I know you can, Stevie.”
There was something different in his voice now. Something quieter.
“But that don’t mean I’m gonna stop looking out for you.”
Steve’s mouth twitched into a small smile.
With an embarrassed noise that could be interpreted as thanks, Steve laid his head on his knees, shielding his bright red face.
For a while, neither of them said anything.
The sound of the waves filled the silence, mixed with the distant laughter of people further down the beach.
Eventually, Steve leaned his side onto Bucky’s shoulder, arms wrapped around his knees.
Bucky looked down at him but didn’t say a word.
Steve’s eyes had fallen closed, his breathing finally evening out now that he was warm again.
“Tired?” Bucky murmured.
“No.”
Bucky smiled.
“Sure, Stevie.”
“Just resting.”
“Uh-huh.”
Steve shifted closer, practically snuggled into Bucky’s side.
Bucky adjusted the towel around him, making sure it covered as much of him as possible before settling back against the sand.
For once, Steve didn’t argue.
He simply let himself be taken care of.
And Bucky was more than happy to do so.
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A quick one perhaps bucky being overprotective at the beach smothering steve in sunscreen and sun protection
Shoutout this comment for idear, it took me a minute cus i insisted that it be in the 30s and had to my research (i love history its fine)
Fun fact!! Sunscreen was invented in the 30s but not in America til the 50s so vaseline was what some ppl used, specifically “red vet pet” but i didnt want to visualize them looking like they murdered a bunch of ppl so regular vaseline for regular boys lol.
Sowwy for the rant 🫡
Pps: forgive the weird spacing or errors, notes app to tumblr play funny
