[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]

"I'm not going to buy anything unless I know you like it too," she says, dry. "That way only lies madness and arguments about whose turn it is to do the dishes."

Or so television and movies have led her to believe. It's not like she ever lived with a boyfriend before.

[nerves_of_ice]

He looks visibly amused at that. "If you say so."

[from_the_outside]

She huffs an amused breath and subsides against his shoulder again.

"We should bring the tv back in here, probably."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I meant to ask." He looks down at her. "Do you want another one in there? A smaller one?"

[from_the_outside]

"Definitely not," she says, instantly. "It's fine in there until we set up something more comfortable in here, but... no."

[nerves_of_ice]

He makes a low, amused sound at that.

"Let's call the store and get that couch sent over, then."

[from_the_outside]

She laughs at that, though her head stays on his shoulder.

"What are you going to do if they don't have it in stock and it won't get here for a month?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Call Elaine and see if she can make something happen." He considers that. "That might be a good idea anyway. She swore up and down that she knew people who could make the impossible happen when it came to decorating stuff."

[from_the_outside]

The further they get from the previous topic and the more she focuses on the here and now of setting Bucky's apartment up as a home for them both, the more she relaxes.

(She doesn't realize it, but it's happening.)

"This Elaine sounds like quite a lady," she says, amused. "Anyone who can browbeat furniture stores into rapid shipping deserves my respect."

[nerves_of_ice]

"You'll like her," he agrees. "Actually - want me to give her a call now? Introduce you?"

[from_the_outside]

"Sure," she says, readily enough. "She can probably give us some good insight."

[nerves_of_ice]

He shifts her just enough to dig his phone out of his pocket - noting in passing that he has an unread text from Sam which he doesn't open - and thumbs Elaine's number up on the screen.

He activates the call and puts the phone on speaker in the same motion. It picks up on the second ring.

"Bucky! You about gave me a heart attack when you asked for the list!" Elaine's voice is vibrant, with a strong New York accent, and her next words make it clear that she's a no-bullshit kind of lady. "Are you finally gonna get it together? It's a crying shame not to take proper care of a place as beautiful as that."

He chuckles. "Hi Elaine. You're preaching to the choir, but the choir's not me." He raises his eyes at Sharon.

[from_the_outside]

She's lifted her head from up off his shoulder, and now she grins at the phone as she picks up her cue.

"Hi, Elaine. I'm Sharon. Thank you for trying."

[nerves_of_ice]

"FINALLY. Someone with sense!" Elaine exclaims, obviously surprised and pleased in equal measure. "Sharon, I am very happy to meet you. How can I help?"

"Sharon found us a couch," Bucky tells her, and has to pause for a shriek of glee from Elaine before he continues, "But we're not sure how quickly we can get it here--"

"You leave that to me. Where are you ordering from? One of the places on my list?"

[from_the_outside]

"Yes," says Sharon, and gives her the company name. "But – I'm sure you could guess – the couch is just the first thing. I've got some ideas on furnishing this place – it really is beautiful, you did a wonderful job finding it – but I could use some advice if you have any you're willing to spare."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Bucky, you hold on to this girl," Elaine admonishes him. The corner of his mouth quirks up in an amused smile as he says, "Believe me, I'm trying."

"Good. Do you still have the layout I gave you at signing?"

Bucky blinks at the phone. "I do, but wh--"

"That'll keep me from having to swing by my office. I'm fifteen minutes away. I'll see you both soon."

[from_the_outside]

"Great," says Sharon, before he can object. "We'll put some coffee on. See you soon."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I can't wait," Elaine enthuses, before disconnecting the call. Bucky stares at his phone, then at Sharon, before he sighs. He scoops her up in his arms and gets to his feet, then gently sets her on hers and leans down to kiss her.

"I'll go dig the other chair out of the back room," he says, resigned.

[from_the_outside]

"You're right," she says, grinning and amused. "I do like her."

She kisses him back and pats his shoulder before heading to the kitchen to put some water on to boil. "Buck up, Barnes. It'll be fine."

The other chair. She shakes her head.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Knew you would," he calls over his shoulder as he heads down the hallway. He's back in fairly short order, hefting a black wooden dining table chair with a cream-and-black tapestry decorated back cushion in his left hand, and a manila file folder in his right.

He drops the folder on the counter in passing and sets the new chair down on the other side of the small table where the glass art is displayed.

[from_the_outside]

"What's this?" Sharon asks, looking curiously as the folder as she spoons ground coffee into the French press. She sets it aside for the moment and picks the folder up without waiting for a response, flipping it open and frowning briefly at the contents before looking at the ceiling in exasperation.

"Baby. Did you even look at this stuff she gave you?"

She plucks a piece of paper from the folder and waves it at him, amused. "This is a floor plan. With measurements."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Oh. Well, that'll come in handy," he observes, perfectly bland. "No, I didn't. I shoved it in a box and forgot about it. I already knew what the place looked like."

[from_the_outside]

"Unbelievable," says Sharon, but she's laughing again. The kettle whistles and she turns to fill the French press, still looking over the floor plan and shaking her head.

"There's a whole other room in this place?"

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky blinks at her. "Around the corner from the bathroom," he says. "That's where I got the boxes from. And the chair."

It's good to see her laugh.

[from_the_outside]

She sets a timer on the microwave for the coffee and puts the floor plan back down on the counter, then comes around into the main room with him so she can put her arms around his neck and kiss him sweetly.

"I love you a lot," she says. "Just so you know."