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“No fancy spins or any of that shit.” Bucky reminded Steve, hands in pocket and stubbornly not moving from his place on the bench.
Steve schooled his expression, no smiling when Bucky was being so serious. “I’m a soldier, not a professional ice skater, Buck.”
“You’re an adrenaline junky.” Bucky stood up, made his way towards the ice. “And you know I’m only doing this because you asked so nicely.”
Asking nicely had taken three days, a couple of showers, breakfast in bed, lunch in bed, dinner in bed, and two satiated super soldiers everyone had teasingly applauded when they finally reappeared. Steve would have done all of that without the end goal of ice skating in Rockefeller Center. Bucky knew that. But he liked seeing that side of Steve. The side of his lover who preferred jumping out of planes without parachutes and wasn’t nearly as innocent as people thought he was. There was also the fact that Bucky didn’t like crowds so holding out for a few days knowing in the end he’d cave and say yes was totally worth it.
Gave him time to think about how happy it would make Steve. How normal it would make them both feel enjoying a day out together. No guns. No shield. No mission other than the one they set for themselves.
“I asked so nicely more than once.” Steve pointed out helpfully, following Bucky out onto the ice. He smiled a little at a couple of kids who stared at him, but were clearly unsure if he was really him. He reached out and took Bucky’s hand and Bucky let him as they glided across the ice, following the flow of people.
“Not every time was nice.” Bucky squeezed Steve’s hand, holding on and smiling a little himself. “I recall bruises and teeth marks at one point.”
“Which point would that be? Before or after I tied you down? Or was it after the paint?”
“It was after the paint and before the rug burn.”
Steve bit his lip, stifling a bright smile at the memory.
“That. Right there. Is why I said yes.” Bucky stopped, tugging Steve’s hand and pulling him close. “Because I get to see all the sides of you no one else does. And only I can make you smile like that.” He took hold of Steve’s other hand and pushed off, pulling him along, slowly angling his movements so they began to move towards the center of the ice, turning in a circle.
“I thought we weren’t doing any fancy spins?”
“You’ve earned one.” Bucky smiled smugly, looking up to see it had started to snow again. “For that amazing thing you did with your tongue.”
Steve actually lost his balance for a second laughing out loud and trying to hide his face against Bucky’s scarf. Bucky held on, held Steve up even knowing he really wouldn’t fall so easily. But it was a part of who they were and always would be. He would stand by Steve’s side, watch his back, and Steve would always be the kid from Brooklyn he fell in love with and would follow anywhere.