[Virginia AU] as sunshine flows into trees

[nerves_of_ice]

In the wake of his success creating the block, Pepper manages to coax Tony into coming back down to the city for what Tony says'll be 'a few days, maybe a week.' Bucky wonders how successful she'll be at keeping him there, given that part of the reason he'd moved fully into the compound to begin with was evidently the strain between them, but decides it's not really his business.

In Tony's absence, Steve doesn't think it's a good idea for him to be too far out of reach, just in case something comes up that needs the Avengers. Bucky finds this out when he broaches the idea of going back to Virginia for a day or two, if they can figure out a plausible excuse. He encourages Bucky to go with Sharon anyway, though, and to have fun.

Bucky's not sure if they can get away with it, but there's no question that it'll be easier without Pepper and Tony around to ask awkward questions. Still, he tries not to get his hopes up too high when he comes to find Sharon in the office after Steve heads down for a training session with the team.

He raps on the door with his right hand, and waits for her to answer.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

"I hadn't gotten that far in thinking about it," he admits. "Not beyond 'go to Virginia', I mean."

Carefully, he adds, "It's been - I mean, I know you're still working. There, too. I won't interfere."

[from_the_outside]

"I need to be available, in case Ross calls," she tells him, "but I don't need to be working all day. Don't worry about that, baby."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I wasn't."

Things are getting better, he reminds himself. They'll continue to. Especially now with the block in place, it'll be safer for him to explore some options for how to do something meaningful again without running the risk of destroying anyone or anything he cares about. It'll be safe to care, more now than before, even though they still have to be careful not to compromise her.

It just takes time. That's all.

[from_the_outside]

"Okay," she says, peaceably. "And don't worry about interfering, either."

It'd be nice to have a few days where she doesn't worry about what Ross will do, now that the block is in place. With any luck, he won't want to shake things up too much.

She's not sure they'll be that lucky.

[nerves_of_ice]

He starts to say something, shakes his head, and stops. "Okay," he says instead.

If she can use his help, she'll tell him. He can't push his way in. It might screw up anything she's working in an official capacity; he knows that.

[from_the_outside]

She frowns at him, inquisitive.

"What?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Nothing," he tells her, and smiles, a little. "I won't worry."

[from_the_outside]

"You looked like you were going to say something," she coaxes. "Something on your mind?"

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky shakes his head. "Nothing important."

Hoping to forestall further questions, he looks out at the landscape again. "Not too much further, right? It's a pretty short flight."

[from_the_outside]

As segues go, it's about as subtle as a derailing train, but if he doesn't want to tell her what's on his mind, she'll just have to wait until he's come around on it.

... Or until she loses patience and pries it out of him. "Not much further," she agrees, and nods to the view around them. "You'll be able to see the Shenandoah pretty soon."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Mm-hm." A faint frown creases his forehead. "There's some kind of old song about it, isn't there?"

[from_the_outside]

"Mm."

She hums the first few lines of 'Shenandoah', then glances at him. "But it's not actually about the Shenandoah."

[nerves_of_ice]

He glances away from the outside and at her in surprise. "It's not?"

[from_the_outside]

She shakes her head. "Shenandoah was a Native American chief," she tells him. "The song is about a fur trader who falls in love with his daughter."

Her smile is a little crooked. "He's singing about how much he wants to get back to Shenandoah to see her, but he has to take his furs down the Missouri river."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Huh." Bucky chews that over for a moment or two. "Never knew that. But I guess I didn't actually pay all that much attention, either."

[from_the_outside]

"Still a good song," she tells him. "And the river's named for the same person as the song."

[nerves_of_ice]

"It's nicer than the East River, anyway." One corner of his mouth turns up in a very wry expression. "Nicer than the Volga, too."

[from_the_outside]

"And the area's beautiful," she promises him. "Everything's so green this time of year."

[nerves_of_ice]

"It is," Bucky tells her. His small smile's as soft as his tone. "Thanks for sharing your home with me, baby."

[from_the_outside]

She reaches over to curl her fingers around his once more as the Quinjet begins to descend toward the mellow green hump of the mountains, and smiles warmly at him.

"I love having you there," she murmurs. "I want you to feel at home there, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

He raises her hand and kisses her fingers. "I do. Or at least I feel comfortable there. More than I have anywhere in years," he assures her.

[from_the_outside]

Her smile grows as she runs her thumb lightly over his bottom lip.

"Good," she says, as her smile turns teasing. "At last, my plans are coming to fruition."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Oh, you have plans, do you?" he drawls. "Do I get to know what they are?"

[from_the_outside]

She chucks him fondly under the chin, like she's Cary Grant and he's Katherine Hepburn. "You know what my plans are," she tells him, smiling as she pulls her hand back and guides the Quinjet gracefully down toward the clearing in the trees.

"To make myself irresistible to you. Or, at a pinch, to kidnap you to a nice vacation home."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Good work on the first part," he concedes, watching as they start to settle into the clearing with no sign of concern about the trees' proximity. "Your kidnapping skills need work, though."