[WWII AU] a brand new day

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky wakes in the predawn darkness, long before reveille would normally be called. He spends a few minutes reviewing the mission in his head before he rolls from his cot; there's no room to think about anything else. He meets Steve and the rest of the Howling Commandos at five-fifteen. As planned, they're on the move before the hour has passed.

It's a long day, a hard day, but in the end a successful day, for the most part. The hidden facility carved into the hillside is no more when they leave, HYDRA's agents defeated, their stockpiles destroyed. But there's still no sign of Schmidt, nor of Zola, and that remains incredibly frustrating.

Still, there's reason to celebrate today's win, and the squad's more or less exuberant on their return, some fourteen or so hours later. Steve disappears into the command tent to debrief with Colonel Phillips; Bucky'll catch up with him afterward, as usual. He spends a few minutes trading quips with the others before disappearing to weapons storage to see to his own rifle - also as usual. Something about taking care of it helps him feel like he's cleaning the blood off his own hands.

After that, he finds he's too restless to settle yet, and figures it's not the best idea for him to be around others until he sorts himself out. Bucky wanders along the edge of camp in the dark, then veers from the path and off into the field where he'd spent some time watching the stars only a couple of days ago.

It should be peaceful there, more or less.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"If my shoes are up for it, Private, so am I," she tells him, amused, and sips at her beer.

Two more songs, however, apparently finishes up the disc, and Brad is setting up a new one as she sets her drink down and lifts her eyebrows at Bucky. "Well, Sergeant?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Your wish is my command," he teases, standing, and offers her his arm. There are a few more dancers milling around the edge of the floor waiting for Brad to get the music going again - and when he does, Bucky has to swallow a delighted laugh as the first few notes of "Moonlight Becomes You" float into the air.

He can't hide the sparkle in his eyes as he offers his hands to her, though, and he doesn't even try.

[from_the_outside]

She laughs, thinking of a dance drenched in moonlight, and gives him her hand, then steps in to set her other hand lightly on his shoulder in the same position they'd been in just the night before.

"Did you do this, somehow?" she asks, her voice low enough only he might be able to hear her. "Or just happy coincidence?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Not this time," he murmurs, as he steps into the slow swirl of the dance with her. "But I think I owe Brad a drink or five for this anyway."

He turns with her, then chuckles as he catches a glimpse of the others out of the corner of his eye. Over at the table, Jim Morita has his face buried in his hands, with Dugan patting him gently on his shoulder.

[from_the_outside]

"Maybe he didn't do it on purpose."

She follows his glance and her mouth quirks before she looks back up at him. "This is easier with music."

[nerves_of_ice]

"It is," he murmurs. "But not any less enjoyable." Bucky turns with her and smiles into her eyes, warm and fond.

"Not in the least."

[from_the_outside]

"Not at all," she agrees.

There's absolutely nothing improper in the way he's holding her or how they're dancing, but she can feel the warmth of his hand against her back as she breathes and as he guides her slowly around the floor, and all she can think of is the way he'd whispered her name in the starlight with his expression blown wide open.

[nerves_of_ice]

He can almost see the moonlight on her hair, inspired not only by the lyrics but by the memory of what she'd looked like the other night, and he draws her the tiniest bit closer - although careful to stay well within the bounds of propriety.

"I know I've said it before," Bucky tells her, "but you really do dance like a dream, angel."

[from_the_outside]

"So do you."

She can feel his warmth as he pulls her just slightly closer, her eyes on his. "Fast or slow."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'm glad you think so." He twirls her out and then back to his arms, shifting to pass behind her on the crossover.

"We worked out the R&R schedule, by the way."

[from_the_outside]

"Oh, yeah?"

She keeps her eyes on him as much as she can as he crosses behind her, then turns her head to meet his gaze again. "Do you have a day off coming up?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"A couple days from now," he murmurs. Mischief flickers in his glance. "Think you'll be able to make some time for me then?"

[from_the_outside]

"I think we might be able to arrange that," she tells him.

Her tone is arch but she can't help the way her eyes sparkle at the thought. "I hope the theater is playing something good."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky's smile is quick and bright. "I do, too. Can't have you getting a bad impression."

[from_the_outside]

She smiles back up at him, warm.

"You know, I don't think that'll be a problem."

[nerves_of_ice]

He squeezes her hands gently and turns her into another long, slow twirl as the song winds toward its end.

"Glad to hear it," he murmurs.

[from_the_outside]

A small shock of warmth goes through her as he squeezes her hands and turns her. "I'll look forward to it," she tells him, as the song slows and so do they.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Believe me, so will I," he promises her, as he guides her to the edge of the floor. Bucky gives her hands one last quick, light squeeze, then lets go and steps back as Falsworth comes to whirl Sharon back out onto the dance floor.

He makes his way back to the table with a cheerful smile, and sits back down by Steve. "Can't blame this one on me, boys," he points out. "Luck of the draw."

[from_the_outside]

Apparently the whole disc is slower songs: Falsworth gets a waltz, and when Jim Morita comes to steal her back again, they dance to a foxtrot. It's nice to cool down and catch her breath, and the slow songs are good for conversation. They can't talk about the mission, but she learns a little more about each of the guys she dances with, tucking each nugget of information away to treasure later, when she's back home and most of them are long gone.

[nerves_of_ice]

It's a good night, filled with companionship and laughter and teasing and music, the kind of night where a guy could almost forget that there's a war on. Bucky enjoys each moment of it to the fullest, and joins Steve in marveling at how much beer Dugan can drink between stories, each more uproariously ridiculous than the last.

[from_the_outside]

She dances with them all again in turn, until the night is just a whirl of music and steps and sips of beer in between. Brad puts on another disc of big band songs, then another, until she loses count.

It's so much fun dancing with the guys and laughing with them, with fast songs and slow and everything in between. Even Steve seems to loosen up a little as the night goes on, though of course the alcohol does nothing to him even as the other Howling Commandos get progressively more and more effusive.

It's almost a surprise when Brad puts on the disc Bucky had identified before as the last one he usually plays, but as Sharon goes to the dance floor with Gabe, she realizes it's got to be late in the evening by now.

[nerves_of_ice]

The count of songs on the disc adds up such that one of them's going to be left out, which Bucky realizes when Falsworth angles to swap dances with him. Amused, he agrees to it as though he doesn't realize what the other man's doing. After all, he's had two extra dances with Sharon that the others don't know about, not to mention she's agreed to a date, so it's only fair. Bucky goes to take a load of glasses back to the bar as Falsworth goes to claim Sharon for what would usually be the last dance of the night.

As he sets the glasses on the bartop, he notices Brad trying to catch his eye. Bucky raises his eyebrows at him, and Brad flashes a conspiratorial smile, taps another disc behind the Victrola and nods to him, then tips his head toward the dance floor.

Bucky grins back at him and drifts casually to the edge of the dance floor in time with the end of the song, waiting.

[from_the_outside]

They drift around the floor to the final waltz on the disc – 'The Waltz You Saved For Me' – and Sharon's as surprised as Falsworth is to see Bucky waiting at the edge of the floor as the disc comes to an end and Brad lifts it from the Victrola.

"I'm afraid you're out of luck, old fellow," Falsworth tells him. In the next second, they all hear the scratch of a disc settling onto the Victrola, and Falsworth's eyebrows shoot up his forehead as he turns a disbelieving glance on Brad.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky shrugs, and turns a bright, hopeful smile on Sharon as he holds out his hands. "Got one more dance in you?"

[from_the_outside]

"Unbelievable," mutters Falsworth in something like exasperated admiration, and transfers Sharon's hand to Bucky's. "Thank you for the dance, Agent Carter."

"Any time," Sharon tells him, then gives Bucky an amused glance as she offers him her other hand. "I think one more won't hurt."