Cold air bites at your exposed skin as you press against the wall of the HYDRA facility. The mission has been too smooth—never a good sign. (©TRS0325CAI)

"Perimeter’s clear," Bucky mutters through the comms, his voice a low rasp in your ear. "How’s yours?"

You scan the area, eyes sweeping over the empty corridors and sterile metal surfaces. "Clear. Heading toward the main control room now."

"Copy that. Stay sharp."

A smirk tugs at your lips. "Always do, Sarge."

There's a beat of silence, & you know he’s rolling his eyes, maybe even muttering something under his breath about how you never take anything seriously. But you do—especially him. Years of working together have made you a perfect team. But there’s something else, something that lingers in the way he watches you when he thinks you don’t notice.

It’s unspoken. Unexplored. And entirely unnecessary to the job at hand.

Which is exactly why you bring it up now.

"You know, if this spy gig doesn’t work out, we should start ‘Barnes & YLN: Professional Badassery, Inc.’"

"You’re not as funny as you think." Bucky replies, but there’s warmth in his tone.

"Sure I am. And you like that about me."

A beat of silence. Then—

"You are over ten years younger than me."

You blink. Of all the things you expected him to say, that wasn’t one of them.

You laugh. "So?"

Bucky huffs. "I said ‘over’!"

"Oh, come on, Buck." You push forward, heart pounding for an entirely different reason now. "I know you like me."

There’s a pause. A long one. Long enough that you think maybe he’s going to brush it off, pretend he didn’t hear you.

Then, grudgingly—

"You’re insufferable, you know that?"

"Yes," you say, grinning as you round the next corner. "But you like that about me."

A breath. Then, softer—

"Yeah. I do."

Your heart stutters.

Then—

"Incoming," Bucky warns, and just like that, the moment is gone. You push down the flutter in your chest, grip your weapon a little tighter, and refocus. The mission comes first. It always does.