[Virginia AU] take my waking slow

[nerves_of_ice]

The nightmares are present, but at least they don’t jerk him out of sleep in any way that disturbs Sharon. When he does finally wake sometime shortly before dawn, he kisses her shoulder and her hair before sliding silently from the bed.

Bucky pulls his shorts back on, then pads into the kitchen and searches out the coffee. He sets it to brewing as quietly as he can and picks up his phone to send Alyona a text while he watches the sky lighten.

surprise - am in Berlin
hope all is going well

Comments

[marvel_npc]

Riley isn't far; in fact, he's just half-sitting on Marta's desk, commenting with interest on each of the nearly identical photos she shows him of her toddler. As the door opens, he looks up with a smile.

"All set?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"All set," he confirms. Watching Riley with people is a little like looking through a cracked window into the dim and distant past, at the man he himself had once been.

He doesn't think he can ever be that man again, but maybe he can make an effort. Or at least start trying to figure out how to. He nods politely to Marta. "Hope we haven't been too much trouble."

[marvel_npc]

"Not on my end," Marta tells him, amused, and puts her phone away as Riley straightens. "Willkommen, Feldwebel. Please let me know if you need anything."

"You're a gem, Marta," Riley tells her, and turns to Bucky. "IT next? Anywhere else you need to go?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Vielen Dank," Bucky tells her, and looks at Riley. "IT, sure. Apparently I have to swing by HR at some point, too. There's paperwork."

[marvel_npc]

"There's always paperwork," Riley sympathizes, and lifts a hand in farewell to Marta as he opens the door for Bucky. "We can hit HR first, then IT, and then back to the office. I guess you'll probably want to check in with Captain Rogers at some point, too, right?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Definitely. As soon as we get back'd be best," Bucky says, walking out into the hall and waiting for Riley to join him. "I already checked in, but he's waiting for an update after this meeting."

[marvel_npc]

"Then we'll make it quick," Riley tells him. It's pretty early on the East Coast still, but better to get the boring stuff out of the way, anyhow. "HR's this way."

He chats as they walk, telling Bucky about the inception and work of the JTTF, trying to cover anything he thinks might be useful or of interest as they make their way to Human Resources.

[nerves_of_ice]

He pays attention to what Riley says and what he doesn't, asking a question or two to clarify various points from time to time.

When they reach HR and he explains who he is and the liaison role, they try to start him off with some basic paperwork. It hits the first snag when he explains he was never assigned a Social Security Number, and that his military file probably has him misclassified still.

The clerk stares at him. "No SSN-- but, uh, you're American, right?"

"Well, yes," Bucky says, blandly. "But I'm old."

[marvel_npc]

The clerk is normally an imperturbable individual who worships at the altar of paperwork and whose personal mantra seems to be "in triplicate," but he looks like he wants to cry by the time Bucky and Riley finish explaining the situation. "But... do you have a bank account?" he asks. "Where will we send the direct deposit? How are we supposed to get you on payroll, or benefits, or – "

"You know what," Riley tells him, taking pity on the man. "Contact Alan Martinez at Stark Industries. He should be able to walk you through all the legal necessities."

[nerves_of_ice]

"It probably won't be so bad," Bucky tries to reassure the clerk. "It's not like you're paying me or anything anyway. I do need to pick up a, uh, disclosure form or two, though. For a personal relationship. And get a copy of whatever rules I'm supposed to follow there."

He's resigned himself to the fact that there are probably going to be questions about that, but maybe it won't be too many.

[marvel_npc]

"We're not paying you?" the clerk asks, distressed, and Riley holds up a hand. "No, we are," he says. "We just – wait, what personal relationship?"

He turns laser-focused interest on Bucky, his curiosity running wild. "With who?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"No, you're not," Bucky says, a little surprised. "The Task Force doesn't financially support the Avengers, last I heard."

He manages not to grimace at Riley's instant curiosity, and realizes that the rumor mill's going to go wild as soon as the form's filed anyway. He makes his tone matter of fact when he says, "I asked Sharon out last night. She said yes. So... paperwork."

[marvel_npc]

"Yeah, but as a liaison, you're entitled to a – you know what, we'll get back to that," Riley says, unable to focus in the face of this bombshell. "You're going out with Agent Carter?"

The clerk sighs and starts typing into his computer, but Riley barely notices, can't stop grinning. "Wow. I mean – well, she's one in a million. She got assigned to you and you fell for each other, it's like a movie."

"Or a nightmare," mutters the clerk. Riley ignores him. "That's great, man. Congratulations."

[nerves_of_ice]

"She's pretty special," he agrees. "I was lucky she said yes. So, thanks."

He eyes the clerk narrowly at his remark.

[marvel_npc]

"I think it's sweet," Riley says, supportively.

Ingrid will think it's less sweet, he knows. He makes a mental note to break it to her when Bucky's not around.

The clerk prints out a series of forms and passes them to Bucky, ignoring his narrowed eyes. "I'll send the same ones to Agent Carter," he tells them. "And I'll get in touch with Mr. Maritinez once business hours begin on the East Coast. Just... fill out what you can, Sergeant."

Riley pats Bucky on the shoulder. "Let's go get you set up with IT so you can get all this information when it comes, huh?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Sure," he tells the clerk. "Thanks." Bucky folds up the papers and shoves them in his back pocket, then nods at Riley. "Sounds good."

IT'll be easier, he figures. Probably.

[marvel_npc]

"This way," Riley tells him, leading him back out of the office. The clerk watches them go with an expression that says he wants to put his head on his desk for a while. Riley ignores him.

"So, you and Agent Carter, huh?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"We'll see how it goes," Bucky tells him, not about to admit to anything before the previous day. His tone turns dry. "You never know, she might decide I'm too much trouble."

[marvel_npc]

"Yeah," Riley laughs, amused at the thought. "Because that sounds like her."

Agent Carter's pretty visible here, and she's got a reputation of her own. "Come on. IT's this way."

[nerves_of_ice]

IT turns out to be a lot easier than HR. Bucky explains why he's here and what he needs, and ends up with a laptop computer - and, after the tech gives a half-wary, half-dubious look to his arm, with a tablet with an electronic pen that he can use to write with and which the tech promises him will be able to convert his handwriting to typed output. He turns down the idea of voice-to-text software, not wanting to be overheard, and briefly entertains himself by imagining Tony's reaction to all this.

They're in and out in under half an hour, Bucky slinging the strap of the sleek computer case over his right shoulder as they start back toward Riley's office.

[marvel_npc]

Avid looks faintly disappointed when they come back in again, and takes her headphones off long enough to ask if they need anything. "Sergeant Barnes might need your help with some research, later," Riley tells her. "But we're good for now."

He shows the Sergeant to some desk space and around the office suite: the small conference room, the little kitchenette. "By the way," he asks, "do you need a place to stay? There are dorms here in HQ, if you don't have anything arranged already. They're nothing special, but the rooms are comfortable enough."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Probably better than some places I've stayed," he drawls, a little wryly. "No, I'm good. I've spent some time in Berlin before. Thanks, though."

Bucky glances around, then back at Riley. "Anything you want me to tell Steve while I'm at it?"

[marvel_npc]

Riley shakes his head. "I'll be in touch with Agent Nilsson, myself," he tells Bucky. "Just let me know if I can help with anything, okay?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Will do. Don't worry, Riley," Bucky says, with a quick smile. "It'll be fine."

He takes a seat at the desk he's been assigned and glances around, shaking his head, then promptly leans back in the chair, puts his feet up on the corner of it, and sends Sharon a text.

Ross took it ok i think
there's paperwork from HR
which means gossip im sure, sorry

That done, he texts Steve.

got time for me to fill you in?

[marvel_npc]

It's early on the East Coast, but not early enough that Steve Rogers isn't already up and running over the trails that wind around the Avengers compound. As he pauses to catch his breath and check his phone, Bucky's screen lights with a series of messages from Sharon:

heard all about it from him
don't worry about the rumor mill
just happy to be official

A moment later, a response comes from Steve:

yes
call whenever ready