[Virginia AU] we rose up from the falling waters

[nerves_of_ice]

A little over a week goes by, and as it does Bucky falls into a pattern, slow but sure. He wakes with Sharon in the mornings, shares coffee and something that suffices for breakfast, then works a little on searches and checking contacts and sources from other time zones and locations. Mid-morning finds him at the Task Force offices with Riley and his team. Early afternoon finds him meeting with Ross, if there's any reason to; mid-afternoon he checks in with Steve, with Tony, or with Natasha before he goes back to tracing rumors and hints.

Today's different, though. Today is Sharon's first day back at work after her suspension, and Bucky's determined not to do a single damn thing that might possibly make it difficult for her.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

When she comes back out of the bathroom, she's wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top, the two dresses carefully hung over one arm. She hangs the black and gold back in her closet and takes out a garment bag for the white gown. Once that's zipped up, she folds it carefully and tucks on top of her other things in the luggage – it'll have to get steamed before she wears it, anyway.

That finished, she zips up the luggage and hauls it off the bed, then rolls it over to sit by her bureau before she climbs up onto the mattress and collapses with a sigh. "Done."

[nerves_of_ice]

He walks in on hearing her call out, back in his civilian clothing, the armor draped over the back of the chair that he'd left his pack on and the case stowed away neatly in a closet. "All set?" Bucky comes to sit down on the side of the bed by her and pats her shoulder soothingly.

[from_the_outside]

"All set."

She turns over onto her back and smiles up at him. "You?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes." He lets his hand stay on her shoulder and runs his thumb back and forth over her collarbone.

"You should get some sleep. You're going to need your rest for tomorrow," he murmurs.

[from_the_outside]

"You're not wrong," she murmurs, and lifts her hand to cover his. "It's going to be a busy day tomorrow. But if everything goes well, all I'll need to do for the actual op is stand around and look pretty."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky gives her a skeptical look at that. "Not that you're not a star at looking pretty," he drawls, "but what with all the planning and leadership and the like, somehow I doubt that."

He lets that sit for a moment. "Besides, I've seen you on mission before, remember?"

[from_the_outside]

"Maybe a little more than that," she allows, smiling. "And honestly it probably won't go that smoothly. You'll need to find a position that will let you trail Klaue or get into the casino quickly, I think."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Give me the casino coordinates and I'll review satellite maps before we get there." He could find a position once there, but it's always better to be prepared.

[from_the_outside]

She rolls to the side and collects her phone, then sends him a message after a quick search. "Here," she says, and pushes herself to sit up. "It's on a busy market street."

[nerves_of_ice]

"That'll help." He saves the location and does a quick visual scan through the first set of search results.

[from_the_outside]

"You shouldn't have any trouble blending in."

If she feels a pang at the thought of the last times they were able to go to an open-air market, she hides it well. "We'll get there well before the scheduled meet time."

She leans to look over his shoulder and points at the screen. "That's the entrance, there. There's a woman set up in the market who lets people in. I'll give you everything I know about her before we head to the location."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, studying the image carefully before he glances up at her. "Contact or ally?"

[from_the_outside]

"Contact."

Sharon looks a little amused, but she says it firmly. "From the last time I was in Busan."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods again. "Good to know." A smile flickers, just for an instant. "Makes it easier to operate somewhere you've been before, right?"

[from_the_outside]

Her smile brightens, then broadens. "Sometimes," she says, with an arch air of mystery. "Depending on how that first time went."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky eyes her. “Do I want to know?”

[from_the_outside]

"Probably not," she admits, and grins at him. "It's classified, anyway."

[nerves_of_ice]

This time he rolls his eyes before he grins back. "Of course it is."

[from_the_outside]

She shouldn't enjoy his exasperation as much as she does, but God, she loves to tease him.

Sharon nods at his phone. "Heard from Yelena lately?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“Mm-hm. She’s having fun training with Fury’s people and getting new clothes, mostly,” Bucky tells her.

And dodging any hints about another visit for now, but he’s patient.

[from_the_outside]

"Good," Sharon says, pleased. "Tell her not to take any shit from Fury – not that there's much danger of that."

She still hopes the younger woman will come to visit, eventually, but she's willing to give it some more time. Even she, Sharon Carter, can occasionally manage patience for something important. She leans up to kiss his cheek. "I'm glad she's been in touch."

[nerves_of_ice]

His answering smile is warm. “I will. And I am, too.”

[from_the_outside]

She smiles back at him, sweet and warm. Every day he's been here has been like a precious jewel that she's threaded onto a string to hoard.

She'd missed him so much. It's stupid how much she'd missed him. "Lie down with me," she coaxes. "We've got an early flight tomorrow."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Gladly. Just let me strip out of these street clothes first." Bucky tucks his boots under the end of the bed and starts peeling out of his shirt yet again.

[from_the_outside]

She shifts down to lie on the pillow and watches him with dark, appreciative eyes.

"I'm really glad you're here," she murmurs. "Just in case I hadn't mentioned it yet today."