You huffed in frustration, fingers fumbling with the stubborn peel of the orange. No matter how hard you tried, the rind wouldn’t budge, and your nails weren’t helping.

Across from you, Bucky glanced up from his book, watching you struggle for a moment before sighing. Without a word, he reached over, gently taking the orange from your hands.

You blinked at him. “Bucky-”

He didn’t even look up as he started peeling it with ease, his fingers working skillfully to remove the rind in one smooth motion. “You looked like you were about to declare war on it,” he said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

You crossed your arms, feigning annoyance. “I had it under control.”

“Of course you did.” His tone was teasing as she finished peeling, splitting the orange into perfect segments. Without thinking, he plucked one and held it up to your lips.

You hesitated for a moment, but then, feeling playful, you leaned in and took the piece from his fingers, chewing slowly as you stared at him. His eyes flickered to yours, and it was only then that he seemed to realize what he’d done.

A light pink dusted his cheeks, and he quickly cleared his throat, looking away. “Right. There you go.” He placed the rest of the orange on the table in front of you, suddenly very interested in his book again.