[Leipzig AU] a means to a necessary end

[nerves_of_ice]

It's a long flight from Berlin to Novosibirsk and the secret location far beyond it, even in a Quinjet. They spend the time planning and coordinating. Bucky describes the structure and security of the facility itself as best he remembers. Tony calls up plans and blueprints from god knows where and throws them into the middle of the plane for all to see. They're not the same as what Bucky remembers, they figure out fairly quickly, but they're better than nothing.

Tony also takes over the back of the plane and snaps at anyone who comes close, doing something that involves shifting screens and models of buildings and wave patterns and a human skull, and the eventually the low humming grind of a machine. Soon after, he stalks back up to the front of the plane and shoves a set of custom-fabricated earplugs at Bucky, who stares at them and then at Tony.

"Noise-cancelling all the way to total sound blackout. Tap the end of the earpiece to deafen yourself," Tony informs him. "Last thing we need's for you to be his puppet." Bucky starts to stammer a thanks, but Tony growls something under his breath and stalks back to the back of the plane again to work on something else. Steve catches Bucky's eye and shakes his head, and Bucky decides to leave well enough alone.

Sam advises everyone to rest in shifts; Bucky knows he's not wrong, but neither he nor Steve can do it, and after a while Sam stops trying to convince them. Natasha sits with him for a while, her eyes dark with concern. They don't say much, but there's no need to.

A Snowcat is parked outside the door of the facility when they land. Bucky's jaw sets in hard lines at the sight of it, and he trades a look with Steve.

They're already here.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

"You must be exhausted." He leans into the touch. "Let me get the lights and leave a note for Steve."

[from_the_outside]

"Okay."

She ghosts her thumb over his temple, then unwinds her arms from around his neck and gets up. "Let me put the laundry bag out and call down to the front desk to ask them to wash my stuff for the morning."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'll take it out for you."

He walks over to the closet and pulls his t-shirt and sleep pants down - how Tony'd managed to arrange getting his and Steve's things from the Center he doesn't know, but suspects it has a lot to do with money - gets dressed, then pads out to find hotel notepaper and a pen and set the laundry out for collection.

He scrawls a note for Steve, letting him know Sharon's here, and props it up by the little coffee pot where it can't be missed.

[from_the_outside]

She retrieves the small bottle of sedatives from her coat pocket and sets it on the bedside table, then considers them for a moment before deciding against taking one.

If she doesn't sleep well, she can take one tomorrow. Tonight, she's not sure she wants anything messing with her mind and body.

She slips out of the robe and slings it over a chairback, then climbs into the bed and pulls the sheets and blanket up around her, settling into the pillow. It's strange to be in a hotel bed when her own apartment is so near, but there's no chance she'd feel safe enough to sleep there tonight.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky shuts the bedroom door behind him and comes to sit by her on the edge of the bed. He runs his hand lightly over her shoulder.

"I can loan you a shirt and shorts, if you want," he offers.

[from_the_outside]

She doesn't mind sleeping naked, but on the off-chance there's an emergency – another one –

Sharon nods and sits up, then pushes her legs out from under the sheets. "Okay. Thanks, baby."

[nerves_of_ice]

He brings her both items, promptly depleting his own stash of clean clothes. If he's here much longer he'll have to do something about that, but there's no point in thinking about that yet.

Bucky flips on the bedside lamp and shuts off the rest of the lights, then crawls into the other side of the bed to wait for her.

[from_the_outside]

She slips on his shorts and a t-shirt, both hanging loose on her, and slides back into bed next to him, stretching herself along his side.

With the lights off, it almost feels normal.

[nerves_of_ice]

He turns to draw her into his arms. "Comfortable?"

[from_the_outside]

"Mmhm."

She puts her arms around him in turn, savoring his warmth and solidity, the realness of him. "Are you?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes," he assures her, in turn. "Sleep, baby. You're safe."

[from_the_outside]

"I know I am," she murmurs, and presses a kiss to his shoulder.

"You're here."

[nerves_of_ice]

"And I'm not going anywhere." He threads his fingers into her hair, and hopes she'll rest.

[from_the_outside]

"Good."

She smoothes her hand over his side and exhales, soft and slow. "Goodnight, baby."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Good night," he murmurs, and forces his body to relax so that his tension won't disturb her.

Well aware that he's likely to have nightmare upon nightmare that would almost certainly upset her (or even Steve if he were to scream) if he sleeps too deeply, Bucky elects not to. He can get by just fine tonight with a series of catnaps, and that's what he intends to do.

He watches through the night when not dozing, concentrating on his breathing and trying not too much to think about what the next day might bring.

[from_the_outside]

She's so exhausted in mind and body that she falls asleep quickly, but the nightmares don't let her stay that way for long. She gasps herself awake in stuttered intervals through the night, finds herself pushing out a hand to keep the cryo chamber from swinging closed or jerking awake after fleeing, panicked, from some hideous, reaching thing in the dark.

She dreams about Zemo, smiling in her apartment, and wakes up as abruptly as if she'd fallen out of bed onto the floor.

Each time, she sees and feels Bucky there; each time she reminds herself it's over. And she sleeps.

She just doesn't sleep well.

[nerves_of_ice]

The faint, false light of just before dawn filters through the edges of the window around the blind. Bucky listens hard, trying to hear if Steve's awake and moving around yet or not.

He's not certain, but based on the other day it won't be long if he's not already. Carefully, he eases himself out from beside Sharon, hoping she can sleep a little longer, and dresses without turning on the light.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon shifts into the warm spot he's left behind and frowns in her sleep, then blinks groggy eyes open.

"Baby?" she asks, tired. "Is it time to get up?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Not just yet," he murmurs. "Sleep a little longer if you can. I'm going to make coffee and check on Steve."

[from_the_outside]

She makes a soft, sleepy sound and pulls his pillow into her arms, curling around it as she closes her eyes again.

"Don't let me sleep too long," she mumbles. "I still need to get clothes."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'll check on the laundry, too," he promises. Bucky tucks the sheet and comforter more securely around her, then moves quietly out into the suite's shared space.

If Steve's awake, he hasn't come out of his room yet. Bucky goes to the kitchenette and starts setting up the coffee maker.

[marvel_npc]

He'd stayed in the penthouse until the small hours of the morning, talking things over with Tony. It had been exhausting, but good, and he thinks they've made some progress. He'd been feeling good about things when he left and came back to the room he and Bucky had taken, and it was a pleasant surprise to see Bucky's note in the little kitchenette before he'd turned in.

But a professional lifetime of early rising means his internal clock goes off even though he's only snatched a few hours of sleep. He lies in the soft hotel bed a few moments longer, until he hears someone moving around in the main part of the suite, then pushes the covers back.

When he wanders in, wearing sleep pants and a t-shirt, his hair mussed and eyes tired, he's smiling, crooked and warm. "You guys sleep okay?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Not too bad," Bucky decides. "Given everything. You?"

He switches it on, sets out three mugs, and checks the minifridge just in case - then huffs an amused breath. "This place doesn't miss a trick." Bucky takes out the pint of milk in its sealed container and sets it out as well.

[marvel_npc]

"Not bad."

Steve takes a seat in one of the armchairs by the coffee table and watches as Bucky moves around the kitchenette, his mouth quirking. "Yeah, Tony usually makes sure anywhere he stays is up to his standards."

[nerves_of_ice]

"He's quite a guy," Bucky decides. The coffee's going to take another minute or two, so he goes to the suite's door and opens it to find that Sharon's laundry was finished overnight.

He brings it in and ducks back into the bedroom to lay it over a chair, then goes back to rejoin Steve.

"He doing okay?"