[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]

He chuckles. "Really lost, I see. Okay, um - she's the, well, she's not real, not exactly. She's just like - it's a term for the nosy neighbor kind of person who knows what's going on with everyone? The kind who likes to pretend they're above gossip when that's really all they do, that and judge people."

Bucky shrugs. "I don't know why it's called that."

[from_the_outside]

Understanding breaks across her face like sun through the clouds, and she nods. "Okay, got it."

Still, she studies him for a moment. "But, yeah. I guess it might matter to you, so you may as well know. I don't have any virtue or whatever you want to call it left to preserve."

Sharon watches him without any sign of trepidation, just the firm determination of someone used to staring down the barrel of a gun. "I get it if that changes your mind."

[nerves_of_ice]

"If it -- no. No," he says, firm and sure. "It doesn't. And I'd be a real heel if it did."

He reaches to take her hands in his. "You matter. That's all."

[from_the_outside]

"Okay."

Her voice is a murmur, but her eyes are warm and soft as she looks at him, as her fingers squeeze his. "Good."

[nerves_of_ice]

He squeezes back, then lifts her hands in his and kisses her fingers.

"You matter," he says again, softly. "Believe me, you do."

[from_the_outside]

Her smile presses, sweet and fond, and she lifts one hand to curve it at his cheek.

"You matter to me, too," she tells him, quietly. "A lot."

[nerves_of_ice]

His smile flashes, quick and bright, as he leans into the touch of her hand.

[from_the_outside]

She runs the pad of her thumb lightly over his cheekbone. "What a sweetheart you are," she murmurs, and leans up to kiss him, very softly.

[nerves_of_ice]

He kisses her back, gentle and lingering, then smiles down at her when it breaks.

"Come on. Let me walk you back."

[from_the_outside]

She blows out a soft sigh, then nods and reaches for his hand before she remembers and redirects to his elbow instead.

"Thank you, Sergeant," she tells him, soft and teasing.

[nerves_of_ice]

"My pleasure, Agent," he murmurs, drawing her close to his side. "Any time."

[from_the_outside]

She rests her head against his shoulder for a second... then lets herself linger there a moment longer.

"I'm looking forward to our date," she murmurs.

[nerves_of_ice]

"So am I," Bucky tells her. "Day after tomorrow. I can't wait."

[from_the_outside]

"Me neither."

She smiles over at him. "We're going to have a lot of fun."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Count on it." He leans over to give her a quick kiss, then starts leading her back from the field along the edge of camp.

[from_the_outside]

The camp's quiet at this time of night, and no one interrupts them as they make their way around the edge toward her quarters. Which is probably for the best; she's not sure she was able to see all the smudges of her lipstick on his skin, and if they run into Aunt Peggy again, she knows her aunt would be able to zoom in on any irregularity with eagle-eyed precision.

[nerves_of_ice]

All too soon, they're standing in front of her quarters. Bucky puts his free hand over hers on his arm and gives her fingers a light squeeze.

"Have a good night, Agent Carter," he says, properly, mischief dancing in his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow at the assessment, if not before."

[from_the_outside]

"Very good, Sergeant," she says, politely. "Thank you for escorting me back. Have a lovely rest of your night."

She squeezes his arm and slips her hand away, then ducks into her quarters without a second glance back.

[nerves_of_ice]

He's smiling when he turns away, and smiling as he makes his way back to his quarters - where he stops, surprised to see a dim light from inside.

He knows he hadn't been so distracted as to leave a lantern lit, which means there's one likely reason. Bucky takes a deep breath and pulls the tent flap open, then ducks inside.

[marvel_npc]

Steve glances up from where he's sitting on the camp stool, marking his page in the paperback book that had been sitting nearby. From the thickness of the paper between his thumb and the cover, he's been here for a while. "Hey, pal."

He studies Bucky carefully. Is it his imagination, or does his best friend look a little more rumpled than usual? "Go out for a walk?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Over to the field," Bucky agrees. He eases past Steve and takes a seat on the end of the cot. A quick glance at the book's enough to tell him that Steve must have left the pub not long after he did, but he manages to keep his wince internal.

His smile's easy and sincere. "Checking on me, Rogers?"

It wouldn't be the first time, and they both know it, just as they both know Bucky's not bothered by it and would do the same himself - and has.

[marvel_npc]

"Maybe it's not such a bad thing I am."

His glance falls on Bucky's collar, where something bright is smudged – and as he looks up, he realizes there's a faint streak of the same crimson just beneath Bucky's ear. It's blurred, like someone tried to rub it away, and as he realizes what it is he can feel his own face heating with a blush. "Were you out there alone?"

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky raises his eyebrows at that observation. "Oh?"

Steve's question catches him off guard, but given the way his best friend's glance drops to his neck and the way he flushes, he's pretty sure Steve already knows the answer to that. Bucky allows himself a second to be grateful that they hadn't run into Peggy tonight, too, and shakes his head.

"I think you already know I wasn't," he says. Bucky leans over to pull his shaving kit from his pack and takes out the tiny mirror. One quick glance is all he needs, and he sighs and reaches for his washrag.

[marvel_npc]

Steve sets the book aside and steeples his fingers together, watching as Bucky wipes away all the evidence of... whatever happened earlier tonight. "Buck," he says, and sighs.

"I don't want to get into your business. But are you sure you know what you're doing?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Who else, if not you?" he asks. Bucky finishes cleaning up and sets rag and mirror aside, then meets his best friend's worried glance without evasion. "I don't have any secrets, Steve. Never from you."

Bucky shakes his head and gives him a small, rueful smile. "Honestly? No, I'm not, but it's a chance I've got to take."