December 13: "We were playing in the snow and you suddenly tackled me to the ground and now…we're just…staring… at each other…"
It was a well known fact that Steve hated snow. It was cold and wet and all it gave was colds and pneumonia. He preferred blankets and heating and warm drinks. There was no reason to like snow and so Steve stayed far away.
Of course it naturally followed that his best friend would love snow more than most things. Bucky was the kind of person who would wake up extra early on mornings when he heard that it might snow just so that he could watch it before it was disturbed. During the winter months, he was always out in the snow.
Every year when it snowed, Bucky would try to hassle Steve into playing in it with him and for the most part, Steve could find a way to get himself out of it. So when Bucky started jumping on his bed at 6:45 in the morning begging him to go play in the snow with him, Steve was understandably upset. But because Bucky had woke him up, he found himself lacking any excuses as to why he couldn't.
It was Saturday and so there was no work and the apartment was clean and Sam was busy all day down at the VA so Steve had no excuse. Bucky would not take no for an answer and they were both up and drinking their coffee by 7.
Bucky was very visibly excited, bouncing all over the apartment and looking out the window at the snow; he was even making little excited squeals every so often. Steve couldn't help smile at him; he was like an overexcited puppy and it was unnaturally adorable. And because Steve was a sucker for his best friend's smile he was dressed in layers of his warmest clothing and outside in so little time.
Bucky was running around kicking at the snow and throwing handfuls of it into the sky as soon as they stepped through the doors. Steve just stood and watched him for a little bit. Bucky's cheeks were already bright red from the cold and the excitement and his eyes were shining with joy. He had a smile on his face that could dazzle almost anyonely dazzling Steve at the moment.
"Come on, Stevie!" Bucky yelled over at him. "Join the fun!"
Steve grumbled but made his way to Bucky who had dropped to the ground and started making a snow angel. After he deemed the angel perfect, he jumped up and stood by Steve.
"Is it perfect?" He asked with a light elbow to Steve's side.
Steve rolled his eyes. "It's okay."
"Okay?" Bucky exclaimed. "Okay? I labored for years over this! It is my life's work!"
Steve snickered and shoved at Bucky's shoulder. "Quit being a drama queen."
"I will do no such thing!" He threw his hand across his forehead dramatically. "You have crushed all my ambition in life." He turned a wicked smirk towards Steve. "Now we must fight to the death." He said.
"No we do not." Steve said, crossing his arms and glaring at Bucky. "I intend on staying perfectly dry and warm. I will stay out here with you while you play but I will not have a snowball fight with you."
Bucky's smirk turned into a bright mischievous grin. "Who said anything about a snowball fight?"
Before Steve could ask what he meant, Bucky scooped Steve up bridal style. "James Buchanan Barnes, put me down!" Steve shouted, his hands circling Bucky's neck in a panic.
Bucky stopped and pretended to think for a second. "Alright, Stevie." He said before releasing Steve who dropped to the snow covered ground with a snowy crunch.
While Steve lay gasping on the ground, Bucky grabbed am armful of snow and dropped it over his friend's head.
Steve shot up and started hacking himself like a dog trying to get the snow off. "Buck, you know I hate getting wet!" he said, brushing the snow off. Bucky just laughed and started tossing handfuls of snow at Steve until Steve looked up with fire in his eyes. "Okay, that's it!" he said before running full speed at Bucky and tackling the shit out of him.
Bucky was so surprised about what Steve had done that he couldn't do anything but fall straight to the ground. He just lay there with Steve's knees straddling his waist and his arms braced on either side of his head.
"How do you like this?" Steve asked from on top of Bucky. "You want me to play in the snow, you have to be able to handle me. Bucky? Are you even listening to me?"
Bucky was just staring at Steve's flushed face with a look of awe, not moving or looking away. Steve stopped talking and stared back.
Steve wasn't sure who moved first, but suddenly the distance was closed between them and their lips were on each other's. Steve pulled back and looked Bucky in the eyes. "Wha-?"
He was interrupted when Bucky flipped their positions to be on top. He stared wickedly down at Steve before leaning in and sealing their lips together again.
Part of a 25 part Christmas AU series.