[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.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"May as well," she agrees. "That's the kind of thing that's handy to have around."

She shifts enough to kiss his cheek and press her forehead to his temple. "I promise it's okay for you to run down to the hardware store," she tells him.

[nerves_of_ice]

“In a little bit,” he says, leaning into her. “Once we’re sure we’ve got everything on the list of stuff you want me to pick up.”

[from_the_outside]

She lifts her hands from the laptop keyboard and slips her arms around his middle in a loose hug.

"We should probably start making that list, then," she says, without any indication that she's planning on letting go and doing so.

[nerves_of_ice]

“Coffee,” he says, putting his arms around her in turn and kissing her cheek. “The stuff you like to put in it.”

[from_the_outside]

She laughs and relaxes into his embrace. "That'll get us pretty far," she admits.

[nerves_of_ice]

“We can always order more food,” he agrees.

“I’m not sure what else.”

[from_the_outside]

"We'll probably have to," she says, wry. "I'm still a terrible cook."

She can make a sandwich or chop vegetables, but that's pretty much it. "I'm sure there are other things, but that's all I can think of right now."

[nerves_of_ice]

“So am I. You remember.”

He kisses her hair.

“Want me to go take care of it?”

[from_the_outside]

"It wasn't that bad," she protests, laughing, but her amusement subsides at his question.

"May as well get it over with."

Not the errand. The first time since he came to Madripoor looking for her that they'll have voluntarily been apart for longer than a few minutes.

[nerves_of_ice]

He slides one hand up her back into her hair and tilts her head so that he can kiss her again, slow and sweet and lingering.

“I won’t be long,” he promises.

[from_the_outside]

She kisses him back, savoring it even though he's only going out to run an errand. It's not like this is her last chance. Far from it.

"I'll be here."

[nerves_of_ice]

He smiles and rolls to his feet in one easy motion. Bucky crosses to the closet to grab a change of clothes, and idly picks up the painting and the bag with the egg in it on the way.

He pushes both into the back of the closet - painting against the wall, bag on the floor in front of it - and quickly changes into jeans and another dark blue shirt, then shoves his feet into socks and the boots he’d tucked neatly under the bed.

[from_the_outside]

She sits at the head of the bed, knees drawn up and her arms around them, the laptop beside her, and smiles as she watches him get dressed, as he tugs on his socks and boots.

"Gosh," she says, appreciatively. "You're such a dreamboat."

[nerves_of_ice]

He chuckles at that.

“Look who’s talking.”

[from_the_outside]

She makes an amused noise and gestures at her tousled hair, her stolen, too-big-for-her clothes, and her general lack of polish.

"Oh yeah. All the boys come running for this."

[nerves_of_ice]

“You have no idea just how attractive you are,” he teases, amused.

[from_the_outside]

She flips her hair and bats her eyes at him, then laughs.

"I know it works for you," she says. "That's all I need."

[nerves_of_ice]

He leans over and pulls her close for a quick kiss, then backs to the door. “I’ll be back soon,” he promises, before he ducks down the hall.

[from_the_outside]

As the door closes, her smile fades. There's something she needs to do, and she didn't want him here to see it.

She pushes herself off the bed and pads over to the dresser, opening the first two drawers and taking out a pair of black pants and a blank long-sleeved shirt, then dresses quickly.

(This isn't a Sharon Carter task. It's for the other one.)

Dressed, she searches through her things until she finds the phone she needs.

(Not hers. The other phone.)

Unsurprisingly, the screen is choked with messages and alerts. She doesn't see the grim set to her jaw as she wanders into the living room, eyes on her screen, and begins navigating through them, but she'll likely feel it later.

[nerves_of_ice]

He walks up the street toward the next avenue, planning to make a fairly quick circuit. The neighborhood hardware store's only a few blocks over, and there's a market halfway down the block after that. He should be able to get the coffee and a few other things there and be back in half an hour at most.

[from_the_outside]

Madripoor is in chaos and rumors are flying. She's grimly pleased to see that Matteo has risen to the challenge – it's time to take the next steps in moving him into Selby's old position – and that no one is questioning that the art dealer is dead.

And the Winter Soldier could be anywhere.

She sends the messages she needs to send, then puts that phone away and finds her own. There's a message from Sam that she ignores for the moment, instead pulling up a number that's so old she has no idea if it will work anymore.

Foxtrot. Secret Squirrel: Sierra Charlie. Back on the block. Acknowledge.

[nerves_of_ice]

He ends up talking with the hardware store owner for longer than he means to, but it's all to the good. The man's been running the store for over twenty years, working in construction before that, and he knows what he's doing. Bucky alludes to having done some work on the subway 'a while back,' and needing to replace a tool set after his old one had been lost during the Blip, and together the two of them put together a pretty good set of options.

(He makes sure a measuring tape's included, and is chagrined and amused in equal measure when the guy is pleased about it - apparently most people use some app on their phones these days.)

After that, carrying the toolbox in his left hand, he heads up the street toward the market. As he walks, he pulls out his phone and texts Sam.

Bucky: Hey. Any chance you got Fury's latest number in that massive contact list of yours?

[from_the_outside]

She doesn't actually expect a reply. Who knows if the number is still connected, or if Fury's available, or if he even cares – there are plenty of reasons why she didn't try to contact him after the Blip.

Whatever Bucky says, she's as much to blame as anyone.

She returns to her other phone, catching up, trying to absorb everything she needs to know.

(No news of Karli, still. Damn.)

But it's only a few minutes later when her phone buzzes and she looks over to see the glowing text box of a new message.

Verify.

Her hands shake as she sends back the codes they'd agreed on so long ago.

Verification: Songbird. Daffodil. Sundown. Angel.

This time she hardly has to wait at all before the reply pops up and she sobs a ragged breath at the message she sees.

Acknowledge, squirrel. Welcome home.

[nerves_of_ice]

He leaves the toolbox behind the front counter and makes his way through the market. Cinnamon. Cream. Coffee - fresh ground, he figures that’ll be best. A couple of other things, including a fresh-baked loaf of bread and a bouquet of flowers.

He’s on his way back up to check out when Sam replies,

Sam: Got an old one. Let me ask around. Trouble?

Bucky makes a face at the phone and sends,

Bucky: Just wanted to reach out about some old business.

Five minutes later, he’s on his way back.

[from_the_outside]

She's not sure what exactly she's feeling – it is complicated as hell – but she grins at her phone as she sends another message.

Verify.

When, a few seconds later, another message appears on her screen, her shoulders relax.

Verification: Baseball. Gulf. Airplane. Dad.

She shakes her head and sends a final message.

Acknowledge, Foxtrot. You better have a damn good explanation.