Ascendancy

Chapter 16

        The sun slowly begins to cream into the sky. The dye of reds and oranges are smeared, soon becoming one color, but never fully mixed in.

        I sip my juice. The wine glass it's in makes me feel so luxurious, although Bucky is the only one drinking wine.

        "I've always wanted to go to Paris," I sigh.

        Bucky looks over at me, his eyes dazzling. "You'll love it."

        We look back at the sun.

        "What's your favorite color?" He asks suddenly, his voice searching for something urgently.

        "Uh, blue, why?" With the sunrise slowly dominating the waters it seems like such a small question.

        Bucky reaches over and takes my hand. His eyes probe mine, trying to push his soul into my skull, invade and touch everything with his scent. "I don't know enough about you, Ella. I feel like I've known you all my life, but I don't even know what your favorite color is."

        "You know the important stuff, though."

        "Maybe, but I want to know more."

        I settle into my seat, feeling a blush rise into my cheeks. I look out over the sun, trying to find a color that must match the shade of my face, as a distraction. "Well, what do you want to know? I love talking about myself, so fire away."

        I'm nothing if not honest.

        "What's your favorite childhood memory?"

        Flashes of vibrant greens fill my mind, a dull red, and fading grey. I sigh. "Our playhouse on a spring day. The neighbors would come, and my sister and I would play with them, pretending to have a restaurant. We would cook 'chicken', tree bark, and 'jam', poisonous to eat red berries mashed up."

        "Just my childhood in general was incredible. I was blessed with a great family." I grin over at Bucky. He is one of the only things that make me as happy as the memories of my childhood.

        He smiles right back. "Ah, I see. Some of your best memories are with food. Why am I not surprised?"

        Bucky winks, his cheeks becoming round when his lips turn into a grin. I immediately want to kiss him, but he's too far away. I climb out of my seat, and go to his, sitting on his lap.

         "If they did, then I might not be able to sit in your lap like this."

         We both laugh. "I'm glad they don't all involve food then, because it would be terrible to miss this."

        Slowly, barely a whisper, his fingers gently trace my mouth. His pupils are dark pits; his lips just barely skim mine. Quickly, we are caught up together. I feel two hands press against my back, but think nothing of it, to consumed in the tender embrace. Until a hard hand is digging into my skin, and it's like i can feel the slow breaking of bone.

         "Oh!" I cry out, clutching at my back, and putting one hand over my mouth.

        "What, what happened?!" Bucky shouts urgently, much louder than necessary. His hair is ruffled.

        "Nothing," I say swiftly. "I think your metal just made a bruise on my back."

        "Let me see."

        "No, it's fine." And I mean it. It hurt, but Bucky doesn't have as much control over his new arm.

        "Turn around Ella," Bucky demands darkly.