[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

[nerves_of_ice]

It's about half an hour after Sharon and Gabe leave that Bucky tips back the last of his glass and gets up. Steve's listening to the story that Falsworth's telling about London, and glances up at him with a silent question in his eyes. Bucky shakes his head at him and gives him a quick smile, then nods a farewell to the others and makes his way out into the cool night air.

He'd meant to go straight back to his quarters and read for a while, really he had, but he finds himself taking a detour to walk by Sharon's quarters first, just because - well, for no reason he can justify to himself, so he doesn't let himself consider it too hard. There's no sign of light in the tent, though, so he doesn't stop. Maybe she's already asleep.

Although that'd be pretty quick, come to think of it. Bucky frowns to himself as he walks, then, on a hunch, heads in the direction of the field where he'd found her last night.

[from_the_outside]

There's no pull, no flash of light, no portal that opens and yanks her home. She stands in the same spot she'd stood the night before, looking up at the sky, and tries not to think too hard about whether she's happy or sad about the fact that absolutely nothing at all happens.

There are some clouds tonight, she notices. But atmospheric conditions really shouldn't have any effect on time-traveling portals, probably. And it's well past the time when she'd arrived by now, anyway.

But she still doesn't go anywhere, just stands where she is and watches the sky, wondering just how long she's going to be stuck here.

[nerves_of_ice]

Her hair's bright enough that he has no trouble seeing her, even with the partial cloud cover. Bucky draws closer and stops under the tree, debating with himself whether to disturb her or not as she looks up at the stars.

"Want company?" he asks, finally, pitching his voice to carry but keeping it low. "I can leave if you don't. I won't be offended."

[from_the_outside]

Maybe she should be more surprised when his voice comes out of the darkness, but enough of her isn't that she wonders if she'd actually been expecting him. Her mouth twitches into a wry half-smile and she glances over her shoulder at him.

"Sure," she says. "This show wasn't going anywhere, anyway."

[nerves_of_ice]

He steps out of the shadows beneath the tree and walks closer. "Did you think it would?"

[from_the_outside]

"Not really."

She watches as he comes closer, and doesn't move away or shift position. "But it was worth a shot."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Sure," he murmurs. "Of course it was."

Bucky stops a few steps away and looks up at the sky himself. "I don't even know what I'm looking for," he says, after a second or two. "But I wish I could help you find it."

[from_the_outside]

"If I knew, I'd tell you."

She looks back up, watching a cloud scud across the face of the waning moon. "But so far, portals through time have been pretty reluctant to appear."

[nerves_of_ice]

What if she can't get back? It's the first time he's really let himself entertain the thought. What if they can't find a way to help her? What if she--

He steps on that idea almost as soon as it occurs. If it's the damn cube that's required, then they'll get it and she'll be able to go home, that's all there is to it. It's not like they were ever going to leave something like that in Schmidt's creepy hands anyway.

"We're getting closer," he says, softly. "Don't lose hope, angel."

[from_the_outside]

She glances over at him, and her mouth curves, very gently. "I won't," she promises.

She doesn't think they're getting any closer, but whether they are or not, she's not about to give up after only a few days here. "Don't worry, Bucky."

[nerves_of_ice]

The slight movement next to him as she glances his way draws his attention back down from the sky, and he gives her a small smile.

"I'll try not to if you will."

[from_the_outside]

"Deal."

Her smile flickers over her lips in return, and she takes a breath and turns her face away from the sky, angling towards him. "Didn't want to go back to your quarters yet?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"I started to," he admits, "but then I ... didn't."

Bucky shrugs. "So I ended up here."

[from_the_outside]

She smiles again, more amused.

"Checking up on me?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Maybe." He sounds a little sheepish, he knows. "Do you mind?"

[from_the_outside]

"No."

It's sweet – the sentiment and the way he expresses it, both. "I think I was hoping I'd see you out here."

[nerves_of_ice]

He smiles, turning fully towards her. "Here I am."

[from_the_outside]

"Here you are."

She comes towards him, then stops a step away. After a second, she reaches out and offers her hand to him. "I'm glad you decided to come out here."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I am, too." Bucky squeezes her fingers and shifts his weight, easing a quarter-step closer to her. "And I'm definitely glad that you're glad."

[from_the_outside]

"Oh, yeah?"

She laces her fingers with his, the same way they've been doing in the lab. But this time, she's relaxed and smiling up at him, shifting a little closer. "That can't possibly be a surprise."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Well, I wouldn't want to assume," he murmurs, looking down at her and smiling back. She's so close, it's intoxicating. Bucky raises his free hand and slowly reaches to brush her hair back over her shoulder.

[from_the_outside]

That smile of his goes to her head faster and more strongly than any alcohol ever could. She tips her head slightly as he brushes her hair back, watching him. "Of course not," she murmurs.

"You're a gentleman."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Are you sure about that?"

With deliberate care, he runs his fingers through loose golden curls, otherwise keeping himself ruthlessly in check.

[from_the_outside]

"Reasonably sure." More than anyone she's ever known, that's for damn certain, 1940's sensibilities or not.

Her breath catches in her chest as he runs his fingers through her hair, and her fingers tighten in his. "Mostly a gentleman, anyway."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Mostly's good enough." He can feel his blood heat at her soft gasp, at the way her hand grips his. "I don't think I can be a better man than that."

He traces his thumb lightly back and forth over the inside of her wrist.