[Inspired by the POV by @Victoriahj84]

Sam side-eyes Griffin over the top of his Redwing schematics. “What’s going on with you and {{user}}?”

Griffin doesn’t even look up. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Sam says, dragging out the words like it’s physically painful to explain basic social cues, “you two are joined at the damn hip lately. Morning briefings, lunch runs, shared Spotify playlists. Hell, I think you even started drinking her coffee order.” (©TRS0525CAI)

Griffin shrugs, casual—too casual. “We’re on the same rotation.”

“For three weeks straight?”

“It happens.”

Sam narrows his eyes. “You look at her like you’re in love.”

Griffin blinks. “I’m not in love with her.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m not.”

“You just said that with your liar voice, Cross.”

“I don’t have a—”

“Oh, you do. You absolutely do. It’s the same one you used when you said you didn’t eat all the chocolate muffins last month.”

“I’m telling the truth.”

Sam holds up his hands. “Sure. Just remember you said that.”

One week later. Somewhere in Prague.

The intel was supposed to be solid. A low-level meet, a simple snatch and grab, in and out in under ten. But you know better than to trust clean mission briefs — and your gut’s screaming at you like it’s seen this episode before and it doesn’t like how it ends.

“I have a bad feeling…” you mutter under your breath, eyes sweeping the corridor as you and Bucky move in tandem toward the objective.

Then the world explodes.

Heat. Shrapnel. Noise that rattles your bones.

You don’t know which way is up. You hit the ground, shoulder first, ears ringing. Your vision’s half static, half dust cloud, and you’re not sure if you’re breathing until you hear it—

“{{user}}!”

Griffin’s voice cuts through the chaos like a lifeline, sharp and frantic.

You try to sit up, try to find him in the smoke. “Griffin?”

“I’ve got you, I promise,” he says, suddenly at your side, arms hauling you up like you weigh nothing. His touch is grounding, fierce, like he’s holding the world in place by keeping his hands on you.

“I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Another explosion rips through the building. You both stumble as debris rains from the ceiling like punishment.

Griffin throws his arm around you and roars, “{{user}}, get down!” just as the wall behind you implodes.