[oom] training ground

[nerves_of_ice]

He'd made a promise, and he intends to deliver. He just also intends to make sure it's not the sort of thing that draws an audience - especially not any of the kids.

It takes a little while to find a clearing further out but within reasonable distance of the hut, then a little bit longer to set it up with a waterproof chest and some basic equipment. But eventually it's ready, or good enough as.

Once the goats are taken care of for the morning, he takes up position under the usual shade tree to scratch out a few notes in his latest journal and to wait for Sharon to drop by. If she's got time this afternoon, if she's not busy with Shuri or Ayo, well, then they'll see.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

He gives her an amused grin and sets off in the direction of the Citadel, swinging by the hut on the way to drop off the mug.

[from_the_outside]

She waits until he's over the edge of the little hill before she heads towards the hut – not to take a shower, like he might be thinking, but to open the door to the Bar.

There are some things there she needs to retrieve.

[nerves_of_ice]

Shuri has the music cranked up loud when he pokes his head around the entrance from the curving hallway and is dancing from one foot to another at her workbench. Bucky stays where he is until she turns enough to see him, at which point she drops what she's working on and bounds over to him.

"Yesss!" she cries, seizing him by the right hand and dragging him after her. "You are exactly who I need!"

"Yes, ma'am," he capitulates, and prepares for the unexpected.

[from_the_outside]

First things first; she collects the bag of items she'd stored with Bar, then puts in a few more orders. After all, what's a date night without a little something to nibble on and a few drinks?

Laden down with her supplies, she heads back to the hut by the lake and sets everything down, then goes scouting around to find the best place to set up.

[nerves_of_ice]

He's definitely not going to have any problem occupying himself for an hour or so. The bigger challenge might be extricating himself when the time comes.

Bucky listens to Shuri's rapid-fire explanation of her new theory for kinesthetic modification of something-or-other based on geotemporal-and-spatial recognition of... something..., and nods along as best he can whenever she pauses for breath. Following the instructions for testing's a lot easier. He balances as she says, places pressure with his left hand as she indicates on the test points and lets her scan everything she can think of to scan and then some.

[from_the_outside]

She finds a spot back behind the hut that's larges enough for what she has in mind, then starts unloading things from the bag. It'll take her the better part of the time she has just to set up, but she wasn't planning on getting ready here at the hut, anyway.

So she hums to herself as she lays out all the pieces and brings out the small table, then erects a few stakes around the perimeter, which should serve her purpose nicely.

[nerves_of_ice]

It's when he's doing the third handstand, shifting his weight back and forth so she can compare the biological to the vibranium, that Shuri finally thinks to ask, "Why did you come by, anyway?"

Bucky peers up at her from his upside-down position. "Partly to say hi, partly to see about checking in with Steve, and --" Might as well ask, he decides. "--partly to see what you think of Halloween? As a thing for the kids here, if you think they'd like it?"

The enthusiastic shriek the princess lets out threatens to deafen him, and he starts laughing.

[from_the_outside]

By the time she's finished setting up, she's hot and sweaty again, even as the sun starts setting and the air cools.

That's fine. She gives everything a last once over, then opens the door to the Bar one more time, heading up to Bucky's room with a sense of relief to use his shower – and, more importantly the bathroom mirror and counter.

Maybe it's a ridiculous use of the Bar's time dilation effect, but, honestly, who hasn't wanted to have as much time as they needed to get ready for a date that's happening in... probably less than half an hour back home?

[nerves_of_ice]

Shuri peppers him with questions and ideas and a running stream of commentary on the ridiculousness of various "colonizer traditions," all of which he keeps up with as best he can. Bucky explains the background behind the entire pumpkin thing, talks about seeing kids with carved turnips wandering the streets when he was little, and agrees with her that it should be a lot of fun to try no matter what. He throws Sharon to Shuri's mercies when it comes to planning, suggesting that she might already have some ideas, and leaves the princess plotting merriment and mayhem as he escapes, deciding to come back and call Steve and Natasha tomorrow.

Is it too early to head back? Probably not, it's got to have been an hour and a half by now, easy. Bucky makes his way to the platform and takes the train back, then circles around and starts along the familiar grassy hill toward the distant hut.

[from_the_outside]

Before he can enter the hut, a familiar voice calls from the slightly open door. "Close your eyes!"

She sounds like she's laughing. "I'll come get you."

[nerves_of_ice]

"What the-- okay, okay," he acquiesces, amused. Bucky closes his eyes and stays where he is.

"Ready when you are."

[from_the_outside]

She comes out of the hut and takes his hand, double-checking to make sure he has, in fact, closed his eyes, and isn't peeking. "This way," she tells him, and guides him back around the hut, making sure to take a smooth path so he doesn't lose his footing.

[nerves_of_ice]

A faint, familiar scent floats around her. He's pretty sure she's wearing perfume, and whatever else she's wearing is making a soft rustling sound, but he can't quite tell what it is. Bucky twines his fingers with hers and lets her lead him, enchanted with the mystery.

"Where are we going?"

[from_the_outside]

"Not far," she promises, and squeezes his hand. "I just needed to find a flat enough spot, but I still wanted to be in sight of the lake."

She leads him a few more yards, then tugs him gently to a halt and lets go of his hand. "Wait here," she tells him, and moves a few steps away, then turns back to him and smile. "Okay. Open your eyes."

As he does, before he can adjust too much to the dim evening light, she hits the switch in her other hand and illuminates the twinkling string lights she'd strung on the stakes she'd set up around the little area she'd created: a miniature dance floor, about ten feet wide and ten feet across, made up of interlocking pieces of compressed wood flooring over a rubber mat. To the side sits the table from the hut, laid with a basket of food and a bottle of champagne on ice, cheek and jowl with a small speaker system; past it she'd spread the purple and smoke blanket, ready for a picnic.

As for herself, she stands on the makeshift floor, her hair waved and pinned back over one ear, wearing a pale gold dress that drifts gracefully around her knees with each movement. From the top of her head with its pin-waved curls and cherry-red lipstick to the tips of her toes, in silk stockings and dance shoes, she might have stepped right out of a motion picture from 1945.

"So." She's watching him with undisguised, delighted anticipation. "What do you think?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He stares at her, utterly amazed and knocked completely for a loop, speechless with delight at the vision she makes and the trouble she's gone to.

"I think I'm the luckiest man in the whole damn world," he declares, and his smile's as bright as sunshine as he crosses to hold out a hand to her.

"Dance with me, angel?"

[from_the_outside]

"Yes," she says, smiling. "Always."

She takes one of his hands and steps to the side to drop the switch on the table and tap the screen of her phone. A second later, music comes drifting dreamily out of the speakers: the same playlist she'd put on for him once before, a long time ago.

She curls her fingers around his and steps closer, looking up into his face with a smile. "I really wanted to dance with you again."

[nerves_of_ice]

This time, thanks to Shuri's prototype, he's able to draw her into his arms a lot more smoothly than when they'd first danced here. But just like then, he leads her into a slow foxtrot, smiling back down at her.

"Until the sun comes up, if you want," he promises. "You're amazing. And you look like a dream. How'd you manage all this?"

[from_the_outside]

"The local, for some of it."

It's easier now that he has a left arm. Her fingers curve over his vibranium ones without hesitation, and she sets her other hand at his shoulder, allowing him to draw her sweetly into his arms. "The marketplace, for the rest. Like those little speakers, and the lights."

She can't stop smiling up at him, her eyes shining with her success, with having made him so happy. It feels like she's already drunk on that unopened champagne. "But it took a while to pull everything together, even so."

[nerves_of_ice]

"You're amazing," he repeats, holding her a little closer than a strict dance frame would call for. Right now, in this moment, he's wholly, simply happy.

"I adore you, Sharon. I really do."

[from_the_outside]

"I adore you right back, Bucky Barnes."

She's flushed with success and delight as she curls her arm over his, dancing slow and close as he guides them easily around the miniature dance floor. "You've done so much for me. I wanted to do something nice for you, too."

Sharon looks up at him, her eyes bright, wanting to imprint the image of his happiness into her memory. "I'm so glad you like it."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I do. This is really, really nice." He spins her deftly into a little twirl and brings her right back to him, catching her close and smiling down at her.

[from_the_outside]

She can't resist; she pushes up onto her toes and lightly kisses his mouth.

"Easier now that you have two hands again, too," she teases, as she drops back down.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Well, yes." He wraps his left arm around her waist and lifts her off her feet as he spins around in a circle with her.

[from_the_outside]

Her laughs peals out, clear as a ringing bell, as he picks her up so effortlessly.

"You've already swept me off my feet," she teases, her arms going comfortably around his neck. "You don't need to do it literally."

But it is fun.

[nerves_of_ice]

She's laughing and happy and clearly having fun, so he doesn't put her down just yet and instead spins them around again. "But, angel, how else are you going to fly?"