[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

[from_the_outside]

"Until the Wakandans kick me out," she promises.

"Do you think they'd let me stay the night?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"I don't see why not." He searches her face. "But then they'll know."

[from_the_outside]

"Is that a bad thing?"

She asks it gently, all too aware now of the delicacy needed. He's already worried about what will happen to her because Ross knows about them; if he's worried about the Wakandans, too, she'll have to do her best to lay those fears to rest.

[nerves_of_ice]

"I don't know?"

Halting and uncertain. He's searching her face for any sign of hesitation, any hint of what she's thinking or feeling.

"Would you mind?"

[from_the_outside]

"No," she says, and ghosts her thumb over his cheekbone. "I don't care who knows anymore. I don't want it to be a secret."

[nerves_of_ice]

He tilts his head into her touch, and his breath shivers in and out as she draws her thumb over the arch of his cheek.

"Then stay," he whispers. "Stay with me tonight."

[from_the_outside]

She smiles at him, as sweet and warm as a June morning. "Okay," she whispers, and curves her hand to his cheek as she leans down to kiss him.

"I'll stay."

[nerves_of_ice]

He makes a low sound deep in his chest and kisses her back. Bucky runs his right hand up into her hair, threading his fingers through it and cradling her head.

[from_the_outside]

She shivers at that sound and kisses him more deeply, intent and searching. She'd been so tired last night, sore and aching, and she still is all of those things, but she doesn't care. All she wants is more of him, as much as she can get.

[nerves_of_ice]

He keeps a ruthlessly tight rein on himself, cherishing her with repeated slow kisses, tilting her head slightly to better fit his mouth to hers, running his left hand up and down her back in long, lazy strokes as he keeps her cradled against him in the curve of his arm.

[from_the_outside]

She kisses him back, over and over; slow, drowning kisses. Her fingers run through his hair and then tangle in it as she makes soft sounds against his mouth, shivering in his arms.

Whatever happens, even if he has to go all the way to Wakanda and stay for who knows how long, she's never letting this go. She'll find a way to come to him. She'll have to.

[nerves_of_ice]

She grips his hair and the sudden bolt of need that flashes through him would bring him to his knees if he were standing, he's sure of it. As it is, he can't keep back the moan that escapes him, can't stop himself from kissing her more deeply in response.

[from_the_outside]

That moan sizzles straight to her gut and her fingers grip harder in response.

She hadn't had to do much with the cover Zemo had given her, but what little there was still feels like a film of grime all over her – but with each kiss, each caress, he's tenderly washing it all away, just like he'd washed her skin in the shower the night before.

She kisses him again, then ghosts her lips over his jaw. "Lie down with me," she murmurs, her hand sliding from his hair down his neck to his chest and back up again.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Sharon," he whispers, and kisses her again. "Sharon. Baby. Shouldn't you be resting instead?"

Even as he asks, his hand roams gently over her back, down to the swell of her hip, and up again.

[from_the_outside]

"It'll help me rest," she murmurs, as reasonably as she can when his hands on her body are driving her crazy.

She kisses him again, and again after that. "Don't you have any idea what you do to me?" she whispers between kisses. "Bucky, you bring me to life."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Baby--"

Maybe if they lie down together, he reasons, he can soothe her to relax with more soft kisses, more gentle caresses. She must be exhausted, and he's determined for her to not overstrain.

But he'd come so close to losing her, and the memory of fear and desperation threads through him, driving him to touch her again and again, reminding himself she's here within reach, she's safe.

Carefully, he gathers her up in his arms and rises to his feet, carrying her. Bucky kisses her again and starts for the bedroom.

[from_the_outside]

She presses her mouth to his neck as he carries her, totally relaxed in his arms as she breathes him in, kissing and caressing him wherever she can reach.

"Before I got here, I thought about putting some music on my phone," she teases. "And asking you to dance. But I like this, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'd dance with you," he promises. "Would you like to?"

She's setting him afire with each gentle touch, his blood simmering in response with a sweet, steady burn.

[from_the_outside]

"Maybe tomorrow," she murmurs, and gently sets her mouth to the spot in his throat where his pulse flickers.

[nerves_of_ice]

He swears he can feel his pulse accelerate at the feel of her mouth on his skin. Bucky kicks the door shut behind them and crosses the room to the bed, where he braces himself with one knee and gently lowers her to the mattress.

Bucky makes himself stay still for a moment, just breathing and looking down at her with his eyes blown dark with desire, one hand planted on each side of her as he makes sure to keep a tight grip on his control.

Slowly, deliberately, he leans down to kiss her.

[from_the_outside]

Her hair spreads over the pillow as he sets her down, and she toes her shoes off, letting them drop where they will, as she looks up at him, at his darkened eyes and the desire and tenderness written across his face.

She reaches up to cradle his head in her hands as he lowers himself to her, kissing him gently, slow and lingering.

It's only been a few days, but she feels like she needs to relearn every detail about every part of him.

[nerves_of_ice]

He hopes she knows how much she means to him, how much he cherishes even the smallest details about her, from the way she bites her lip when she's feeling mischievous to the sparkle in her eyes to her bright, fierce spirit and deeply caring heart. Bucky kisses her gently, first her mouth, then her forehead, then brushes his lips over her still-bruised cheek.

"Sharon," he breathes. "Sharon."

[from_the_outside]

Her eyes drift closed as he brushes soft kisses over her aching forehead and her sore cheek, the spots where Zemo had stuck her so harshly, aiming to bruise, to batter, to break. The tenderness in his touch combined with the strain and exhaustion of the last few days almost brings tears to her eyes.

"Bucky," she murmurs, running her hands down along his sides and over his hips, her fingers brushing skin where his shirt falls away from the waistband of his pants. "You take such good care of me."

[nerves_of_ice]

He shivers at the sensation of her fingers on his skin, then kisses her again. "Let me," he asks, softly. "Let me take care of you."

He leans on his hip beside her and braces his weight with his left hand as he trails the fingers of his right lightly along her throat to the first button of her shirt and undoes it.

[from_the_outside]

She tips her head back into the pillow and rolls it so she can watch his face, exposing her throat as he traces his fingers along it. "Yes," she murmurs, her eyes dark and warm as they trace his face, her hand light on his arm as it moves.

She's Sharon Carter. She was an agent of SHIELD. She's never allowed herself to be this vulnerable with anyone.

Not until she found this haunted, hunted, jaded, deeply caring, sweet-hearted man in a little town in France.