[oom] I'll see you in the morning time

[nerves_of_ice]

The low hum of the television on the twenty-four hour sports channel continues all through the night, casting its shadows and dim electronic light over the bed, the blankets, and the two of them curled up together there.

For once, there are no nightmares.

It's only once the sun starts making its way above the horizon and the sky outside begins to fade from black to blue that Bucky stirs - and as he realizes where he is and who's with him, a sunshine-bright smile lights his face.

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[from_the_outside]

There's no response to his movements but a sleepy, disgruntled sound before Sharon clutches at her pillow and curls a little more determinedly around it. If she's awake she's doing a very good job of pretending not to be.

[nerves_of_ice]

He chuckles, very softly, and kisses her hair before stretching out his arm to grab his phone.

Bucky calls up the app one-handed, scrolls down to the diner's entry, and starts selecting things. Once he places the order, he drops the phone on the mattress beside him and curls back into her.

[from_the_outside]

She wakes up slow to unfolding sensations: cool sheets around her, warm body behind her, the pillow under her cheek, dim morning light. It's a nice way to wake up, even for someone who hates waking up as much as she does.

Rolling over, she buries her face in his chest and mumbles something sleepy and incoherent. It could be good morning or it might be a string of inventive curses aimed at the entire concept of morning; it's impossible to tell which.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Good morning, baby," he murmurs, stroking her hair. "Ready to wake up yet?"

[from_the_outside]

She makes another reluctant sound, like a slightly disgruntled cat, then shifts back to blink heavy eyes at him. "If I must," she says, and smiles to let him know she's teasing.

Her hair had still been wet when she fell asleep and now it coils wildly across the pillow in random spirals. "Do you have a coffee maker?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"I do, but I don't have coffee on hand to make in it," he tells her. "But if you can give me another ten minutes--"

His phone chimes, and he glances at it.

"--three minutes," he amends, "coffee'll be here."

[from_the_outside]

"Let's hear it for the twenty-first century," she says, smiling, and cuddles a little closer, her arm curving loosely over his side.

Sure, he'll have to get up in three minutes to get the food, but she can luxuriate in snuggling up against him until then.

[nerves_of_ice]

He draws her against him and runs one hand lightly up and down her back. "I wasn't going to ask you to get up without coffee," he teases. "Not in the morning, anyway."

Last night was different.

[from_the_outside]

"Smart man."

She closes her eyes and basks in his warmth, in the way her skin prickles pleasantly as his fingers trace lightly over it, until a knock comes at the door and she looks up at him.

"Sounds like it's here."

[nerves_of_ice]

He gives her a quick kiss, then shifts her back onto the pillow and rolls swiftly to his feet. Bucky doesn't bother with a shirt before making his way to the front door to accept the order.

It takes a little while, but then he's back, carrying a very large takeout cup of coffee, which he holds out to her.

"Breakfast is in the kitchen," he says, smiling. "Figured this might help get you there."

[from_the_outside]

"You're the best."

She props a pillow up and sits against it, the sheets and blankets muddling around her middle as she reaches for the coffee. "Gimme."

One sip and she sighs in pleased contentment. He even remembered the cinnamon. "Bless you, baby."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Good morning,” he laughs. “Seemed the least I could do. We can pick up supplies later.”

[from_the_outside]

"Yeah, about that."

She takes another long sip of her coffee and sets it in her lap, then looks up at him. "I'm sure nobody's going to be actively looking for me, but do you think it's safe for me to go wandering around Brooklyn? If the wrong person sees me or I trip any facial recognition software, they'll arrest me in a hot second."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I think you’d have to worry more about the software, but there are ways to deceive that,” says the man who hid from the world for years.

“I don’t want you to feel trapped, baby.”

[from_the_outside]

"I know a lot about not being seen or recognized in Madripoor," she says, wry, "but I don't know how much of it will translate to daylight in Brooklyn."

She reaches a hand for his to squeeze his fingers reassuringly. "I feel safe, not trapped. Promise."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay." He threads his fingers with hers and holds on. "You'd be surprised at how much you can do with a ball cap and sunglasses. Maybe something with your hair. Then knowing where not to look will take care of most of it, to start with."

[from_the_outside]

"I guess you would know."

She makes a slightly wry face. "I could dye my hair."

Although she would really rather not.

[nerves_of_ice]

He can't quite stop the look of dismay, but he manages to hide it pretty quickly.

"Or a really good wig?" He tugs on her hand. "While we're thinking about it, come on - breakfast.

[from_the_outside]

She laughs at his expression and nods as she gets up, letting go of his hand so she can push the sheets and blankets back. "Not unless I absolutely have to," she tells him. "I'm hardly the only blonde in New York City."

Whatever he'd ordered smells good; her stomach grumbles just like she hadn't stuffed herself with pizza the night before. "Breakfast," she agrees. "What should we do today?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He leans in and kisses her, then leads the way down the hall. Laid out on the counter is a large bowl of scrambled eggs with sausage, peppers, and onions, a plate of crispy fried bacon, a smaller plate with buttered biscuits and a side of strawberry jam, and a bowl of mixed fruit.

Bucky bypasses it in favor of retrieving his own coffee first. "Did you want to get a couch?"

[from_the_outside]

"Oh, wow," she says, appreciatively. "What a spread." Stepping behind him, she lifts up onto her toes and presses a kiss to the nape of his neck, balancing herself with a light hand at his side. "You're spoiling me."

With a breakfast like this, she's not going to need to eat again until dinner, probably. She takes down a couple of plates from the cabinet and starts loading one up with a little of everything. "Yes," she admits. "I did."

She starts to say something else, then shakes her head and takes a sip of coffee to swallow it back.

[nerves_of_ice]

He gives her a quizzical look over his coffee cup.

"What?"

[from_the_outside]

"I was just thinking."

She picks up her plate and a fork and a paper towel to serve as a napkin, retrieves her coffee, and goes to sit crosslegged on the floor before looking back up at him. "That maybe I could call my parents."

But she shakes her head again, pushing it all back and down and away. "It's not a good idea. Not yet."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Whenever you want to," he says, soft and low, "I'll do whatever you need to make sure you can."

[from_the_outside]

He says whatever you need and she knows he means it literally. No such thing as lip service from Bucky Barnes; if he says it, he'll do it.

Her smile is rueful. "When it's safe," she says, and leaves it at that, picking up her fork to start in on her breakfast.