Frost

Chapter 119

Bloodlust

"How long are we going to play this game?"

Ivy looked up from her coffee, which she had been staring at for the last few minutes without taking a single sip. It wouldn't surprise her that it had even gotten cold in the colder air. The steam didn't seem to rise as much as it had when Bucky had bought it for her in one of the small shops. "What kind of game?" she asked in a confused tone, though she knew very well what he meant. Her eyes met his and her feet did the same when he stopped suddenly. The two gave way to an older couple as they passed them on the sidewalk, Ivy more or less was forced to scoot closer to Bucky, allowing their upper bodies to almost touch. She looked back down at her coffee and waited for the couple to walk past them until she looked up at him again.

"The game in which we pretend that I pretend that I don't know that you helped Karli escape and you pretend that you have no idea that I know" he said, staring into her eyes, which made Ivy take a step back. The paper cup was finally brought to her lips and she took a small sip to buy herself some time. "Well, you had 20 minutes to tell me you knew I was lying" she replied, which made Bucky raise an eyebrow. "And you had 20 minutes to tell me the truth. I thought we agreed not to keep secrets from each other anymore?" Bucky fired back and Ivy was forced to look to the side when she couldn't bare his gaze on her for long. "She was shot and John was there. I'm not letting the government take over, the past has shown that it never leads to anything good" she muttered, taking another sip of the coffee that was starting to get cold.

"But I'm not the government." Ivy heard Bucky sigh and a few seconds later felt his fingers on her chin, turning her head back to him. "I'm your partner in crime, your boyfriend, the man who would break every rule for you. Ivy, damn it there's almost nothing I wouldn't do for you. You know that" he said more sternly, not letting go of her chin, only when she took his hand and moved it away from her chin. "This is exactly why I hadn't let you in on this, I'm not going to drag you into another mess. So if either of us is going to break a few rules, it's me" she replied with her own fire in her eyes. She wanted to let go of his hand that had been holding her chin just a few seconds ago, but Bucky wouldn't let her and held her hand just a little tighter. "You're my mess though, so like it or not I'm already involved" he said, making Ivy's eyes soften a little, especially when he brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss on it.

"In addition we are such a great team. We should show off with rings" he smirked and Ivy couldn't hold the laughter in her. Bucky watched her with a little smile of his own as her eyes sparkled while she threw her head back a little and shook it slightly. "What's with you and those comments lately?" she asked him with the remnants of her laughter still on her face. Bucky shrugged his shoulders and reached for the coffee in her hand to take a few sips from it himself. "I don't know what you're talking about" he said afterward, trying to look serious and convincing, which made Ivy nod her head teasingly as she licked her lower lip. "Oh, yeah...I must have imagined it" she continued and Bucky nodded, a small smile breaking out on his face. "Told ya. Do you have something to tell me, Snowflake?" he asked, stepping a little closer to her. This a little closer, already made Ivy's heart beat faster as he stood right in front of her, his chest touching hers.

"Me? No, no I don't think so" Ivy replied and Bucky nodded thoughtfully before averting his gaze from her for a brief moment. "Are you okay, Barnes?" asked Ivy, who had noticed the small changes in his mood, though it had seemed like a normal gesture. "You tell me," he replied, turning his head back to her to see her frown. "No more secrets or alone goings?" asked Bucky, sighing softly. "Give me your pinky," she prompted him, causing him to stare at her in confusion for a few seconds. Ivy sighed during his slowed response and reached for his hand herself to spread his pinky finger off of it. "What are you doing? Is this going to be a Pinky Promise?" he asked, confused, as she hooked her pinky with his. "Alright, if you don't want it..." Ivy was ready to pull her pinky away, but Bucky wouldn't let her and clutched her pinky as if his life depended on it. "No, keep going...keep going" he urged her, which made Ivy roll her eyes before smiling anyway.