[oom] in the dark house you have seen the sun rise

[nerves_of_ice]

Ayo had suggested - firmly - that it would not be wise for him to be a part of the response team that's standing ready in case anything goes wrong, and he can't say that he disagrees with her. Instead, Bucky goes to Shuri's lab when 'Irma' and 'Ryan' leave for the meet with the distributor and listens in from there.

Nothing goes wrong. He's glad; they all are, he knows. Once it's clear that they're on their way back and not being followed, Shuri takes off her earpiece and turns to him. "Well. That is good. Everything is going as we had hoped. So now I must ask you - are you ready to proceed tomorrow as we have planned?"

He removes his own earpiece and sets it aside before he answers her. He doesn't want there to be any chance that he'll be overheard, not about this. "Yes," he says, quietly, but without hesitation. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be." One corner of his mouth twitches in a rueful smile. "Is it okay to say that I'm a little nervous?"

Shuri takes his hand between hers and holds on. "Of course it is okay," she tells him. "It is no small amount of trust that you have placed in me. This I know."

They sit there in the quiet for a while before he squeezes her hand and lets go. Shuri bounces to her feet and smiles at him. "Now go," she says, attempting a stern manner and failing due to the laughter in her bright eyes as she orders him around. "Do something fun today. I will see you in the morning."

"Okay," Bucky says, and gives her a quick answering smile before he walks out.

He goes back to the hut by the lake. Whether or not that'd been what Shuri had intended, he doesn't know, but it's more peaceful than anywhere else, and right now that's all he wants. Besides, if anyone's looking for him... well, they'll know how to find him there.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"Maybe you should take another time-lapse photo," she suggests.

"It'll be a nice night for stars."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Maybe," he agrees, with a quick grin for them both. He finds he likes the idea of having something that captures the memory of them here, with him, with the sky above spinning around them.

(Even if the worst should happen and he can't-- it'll be nice to have.)

"Let me grab the equipment." He ducks into the hut before either of them can offer to help.

[from_the_outside]

They both look after him as he heads into the hut, before Sharon gives Steve a rueful smile and he reaches to press her hand with his own warm one.

"It'll be fine," he says, in that reassuring way he has that makes her think it might actually be true. "We've both got a lot of experience with going under."

And getting your mind rebuilt? she doesn't ask. It wouldn't be helpful, and none of them know the answer anyway. She just presses his hand back and looks up at the stars.

It really is a nice night.

[nerves_of_ice]

It doesn't take him long to sling the camera bag over his shoulder, pull the spider-legged stand from its pocket, and make his way back outside again. Bucky gives both of them a quick smile and goes to an open spot in the grass far enough away that the light from the candles won't interfere with the exposure, presses the button to activate the stand, and crouches down to pull out and set up the camera.

He's unaware of how peaceful he looks as he's working over it; how calm and untroubled his expression is.

Steve's very well aware, though, to judge from his own small smile as he watches his friend.

[from_the_outside]

That camera was one of the best fights she's ever won. Just going through the steps of setting it up seems to soothe him. It presents a series of small choices he can pick through, none of which are life-threatening or worrisome.

He looks as relaxed now as he sometimes does when they're lying in the sun by the lakeside, and her own mouth curves in a warm, affectionate smile.

[nerves_of_ice]

He finishes the setup, activates the timer, and turns to find both Steve and Sharon watching him and smiling.

“...what?”

[from_the_outside]

Sharon just shakes her head, while Steve's smile brightens.

"Should be a neat photo," he offers. "Looks like you've got the setup down."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I've taken a few of them," he says, after giving them both a skeptical look. "The trick's just finding a spot with no light or material interference to block the sky, and getting the interval right."

As if it heard him, the camera clicks.

[from_the_outside]

"This is a good place for it," Sharon says, tipping her head back to look at the stars.

No light? No problem. The Citadel's light pollution hardly bleeds fifty feet outside its walls. No interference? What would get in the way, the goats?

[nerves_of_ice]

"It sure is," Steve agrees, as Bucky comes back to sit down between them again. "Quiet, too."

Bucky gives him a wry look, which Steve returns.

[from_the_outside]

"I like it," she tells Steve. "I spent so much time going from mission to mission, I've never had much of a chance to just... be somewhere."

And Wakanda has a lot going for it. She looks over at Bucky, smiles a little. "I can think of worse places to have gone for asylum."

[nerves_of_ice]

He leans over and tugs a lock of her hair, very lightly, then lets go. Steve chuckles. "It's definitely nicer than any of us had ever guessed," he agrees.

[from_the_outside]

For... asylum. Right. That's why she bushwhacked her way into Wakanda, carrying his backpack, and talked back to T'Challa that day. She watches as he reaches to tug on her hair and just smiles at the sensation before she takes another sip of the beer she's nursing.

Only one for her tonight; she doesn't want to have to get put to bed like a sleepy toddler again. She's enjoying herself too much, sitting with them, listening to them swap stories, occasionally interjecting with one of her own.

It might not be the kind of "fun" Shuri had in mind, but it seems to be working for him.

[nerves_of_ice]

The camera continues its quiet clicks as the night wears on, while the three of them continue their quiet conversation. Bucky doesn't know if Steve planned it or if it just worked out that way, but he's pretty sure that reminiscing like this is going to help keep all of these old memories fresh in mind for the final scan tomorrow morning, and he's fiercely glad of it.

These new ones, as well, he wants to hold bright and close for as long as he can.

[from_the_outside]

She listens to the camera click, thinking back to the last time Steve was here. She'd sat out with Bucky while he took a time-lapse photo then, too.

It's not as late now as it was then, but Steve yawns and takes a slightly exaggerated look at his watch, then glances at her. "Getting late," he observes. "I might head back up to the Citadel soon."

She purses her lips slightly. "I think I'll hang out here for a while longer," she tells him, and looks a question at Bucky.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes," he tells her. "Stay as long as you want." Bucky nods to Steve. "See you in the morning."

They trade a long, silent look before Steve nods back and smiles, warm and honest and open as ever. "Count on it."

On everything.

[from_the_outside]

"Night, Steve," she says. "See you in the morning."

He gives her a warm smile. "Don't stay up too late, you two," he cautions, then rises to stroll his way back towards the Citadel, whistling to himself as he looks up at the stars.

It'll be fine, he reasons. The tech here is better than HYDRA ever got their hands on, and Shuri's at least twice as smart as Zola ever was. A few more weeks, and Bucky's recovery will have taken the biggest jump forward yet.

It's just a little more time.

[nerves_of_ice]

He watches Steve walk up the hill, then turns to Sharon. Bucky doesn't say anything at first, just searches her face.

[from_the_outside]

She looks back at him and lifts her eyebrows, bottle of beer paused halfway to her lips.

"What?"

[nerves_of_ice]

Very, very softly: "Will you stay with me tonight?"

[from_the_outside]

A faintly disbelieving smile touches her lips, and the look in her eyes is almost achingly fond.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

[nerves_of_ice]

He reaches out to take her free hand in his, and laces his fingers together with hers.

"It's not fair of me to ask you to go through this," he says, after a moment. "But I'm glad you're here."

[from_the_outside]

She lifts his hand to her lips and presses a kiss to the backs of his fingers.

"You're not asking," she tells him. "You don't have to. I'm not going anywhere."

Her smile is very sweet. "Partners, right?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Right," he murmurs, brushing a fingertip over her cheek while she holds his hand close to her lips. "Partners."

"It's just ... this is why I was trying to wait. Before. I didn't want to do this to you."

[from_the_outside]

"Bucky," she says, softly. She turns his hand in hers and presses a kiss to the palm, then presses his palm to her chest.

"You're not doing anything to me. I might be worried, but I'm glad you decided to stop waiting. I wouldn't give up this last week and a half with you for anything. And we'll have plenty of time again once you wake up."