[OOM] some enchanted evening

[nerves_of_ice]

He's been thinking about it for a while. Long enough to come up with a few ideas, long enough to find what he needs, but not long enough to stop being nervous about it.

It's late afternoon, almost evening. The kids are gone for the day, the goats are fed and watered, and there's nothing else to do but wait.

Sharon should be coming down from the Citadel soon. Probably. In the meantime, Bucky does his best not to pace a hole in the hut's floor, and tells himself to stop being an idiot.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"She sure has."

For that alone, she'll be grateful to the Wakandans forever.

She shrugs slightly at his question. "What's not to like? This place is great. And like you said: no rent. Which is nice."

[nerves_of_ice]

His eyes narrow, just slightly, but he decides not to push right now. "Okay."

[from_the_outside]

She smiles at him and settles back down to look out over the water, her thumb running lightly over his knee.

It's not a lie, exactly: she likes Wakanda. There are times when she loves it; the beautiful buildings and wide open plains, the lively marketplace, spending time with Nakia and Shuri.

And the little hut by the lake has to be one of her favorite places. Although this, right now, with the soft sound of the water lapping against the shore and the calls of nighttime birds and insects and Bucky warm and steady beside her, is definitely angling into competition.

[nerves_of_ice]

He's not sure whether or not she deliberately meant to evade his question, but he's well aware that she did. Bucky sighs and pulls her a little closer, then leans his head against hers.

Not tonight. He'll ask another time. He'll have to; if she's not happy here, no matter what's between the two of them, then that's something they'll need to figure out.

[from_the_outside]

It's late summer and even once the sun goes down, the air is still plenty warm. She wonders, idly, what fall and winter look like in Wakanda... or if they look all that different at all.

Rainy, maybe. "I hope pulling all this together didn't take up your whole day," she murmurs, tipping her head back against his shoulder so she can gaze up into the star-speckled tree.

[nerves_of_ice]

"It didn't," he assures her, "but it'd still have been worth it if it had."

[from_the_outside]

She chuckles and kisses his cheek. "What a romantic," she teases, affectionately.

[nerves_of_ice]

He makes a noncommittal noise and tilts his head to smile down at her.

[from_the_outside]

Stealing the advantage, she leans up to kiss him, sweet and lingering. "You're full of surprises," she murmurs, then smiles.

"Good ones."

[nerves_of_ice]

His smile warms and he kisses her back, then again for good measure before he gives her a quick, teasing grin.

"Don't worry. I'll try to keep it to the good kind."

[from_the_outside]

Her own grin flashes, warm and laughing.

"Baby," she tells him, as she leans up to kiss him again, "you're the best."

[nerves_of_ice]

He's not, and he knows it, but it doesn't seem like the right time to argue.

Not tonight.

Bucky holds her close, trading lazy kisses under the stars far above, and dwells in the peaceful contentment of the moment.