[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]

"She might, at that."

Sharon holds out her arms, and he feels his heart turn over in his chest at the visible sign of her trust in him. Bucky spins around again and again, faster this time, then draws her down and wraps her up in a tight embrace as he leans in to kiss her.

[from_the_outside]

She laughs as he whirls them around, making her feel like she really is flying, then curls her arms around his neck when he finally sets her back down and returns his kiss with everything she's feeling behind it.

"I love seeing you so happy," she murmurs, and kisses him again. "I love playing games with you. I love you, so much."

[nerves_of_ice]

He doesn't deserve this much happiness, he knows that, but for tonight, here in this moment with her, he pushes that knowledge aside.

"I love you too," he whispers, and kisses her back.

[from_the_outside]

A small sound escapes her as he kisses her again, as her heart flips in her chest. She slips one hand up along the back of his neck, slides her fingers into his hair, and presses herself to his chest. "Hold me close, soldier boy," she murmurs, her breath warm against his lips.

"Don't ever let me go."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky smiles, slow and sweet, and tightens his embrace just a little more. "Yes, ma'am," he murmurs. "As long as you want."

[from_the_outside]

She kisses him once more, then presses her cheek to his, her arm resting over his shoulders, her other hand curved gently at the back of his head. "Okay," she says, quiet. "Forever, then."

[nerves_of_ice]

Forever. He lowers his head to her shoulder and breathes in her warmth and the scent of her perfume, drawing her into a slow sway of a dance as the music shifts.

"Sounds good to me."

[from_the_outside]

"Good."

The music drifts around them, and he moves them, slow and sweet and swaying. She can feel the steady beat of his heart against her own chest and the warmth of his breath through the fabric of her dress as he rests his head on her shoulder.

She tucks her head against his, bright hair blending softly with dark, and closes her eyes to lose herself in the moment.

[nerves_of_ice]

When he thinks about it later, he'll never be able to say exactly how long they dance. It doesn't matter. What matters is the soft cadence of the music, the feel of Sharon in his arms, the way the two of them move across their own personal dance floor under the bright Wakandan stars, surrounded by tiny lights.

At some point, though, a thought occurs to him and he lifts his head to look down at her. "You must be starving. Let me make you a snack?"

[from_the_outside]

She opens her mouth to protest, but her stomach rumbles and she shakes her head at herself, amused. "Okay," she admits. "I am hungry. Let's have a little something to eat."

Stepping back, she lets him go, only to take his hand in hers and lead him over to the table. There's a large amount of fresh fruit, of course, cut up and whole, both, and cheeses, along with some of the Wakandan dishes they've both come to like. "You must be getting a little peckish, too. That super soldier metabolism must burn like the sun."

[nerves_of_ice]

"A little. I still don't usually notice," he admits. "But I'm learning to." Bucky looks over the arrangement she's set up and lets out a soft whistle. "Baby, you did all this?"

[from_the_outside]

"It's not hard to get food here," she points out, amused. "And it looks fancier than it is."

She pulls the sweating bottle of champagne from the ice bucket. "This, I had to get from the local."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Well, it looks pretty impressive," he counters. "Here, I'll fix a plate for you."

He grins at the champagne, and turns the smile on her. "I should have dressed up too."

[from_the_outside]

"Next time," she promises, smiling, and turns her attention to the champagne, her fingers deftly unwrapping the foil over the cork. "But you look very handsome anyway."

[nerves_of_ice]

He smiles at that and starts building a plate for her, taking a little of everything with the goal of making absolutely sure that she has enough.

"I don't hold a candle to you, though."

[from_the_outside]

"Oh yeah?"

Sharon puts a napkin over the cork and works it carefully out until it releases with a pop!

She grins as she carefully pours some of the fizzing champagne into the flutes she'd brought. "I thought I'd try out a new look... for me. It works, huh?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"You better believe it," he tells her, fervently. "You look like you stepped right out of Hollywood, back - back before. Back then."

[from_the_outside]

If she's being honest, she hadn't been a hundred percent sure this part of her plan was going to go all that well, but she can't argue with the light in his eyes or the sincerity in his voice. She sets the bottle down and lets the champagne in the flutes settle for a moment, then smiles at him.

"I thought it might be nice," she admits. "For you. Something you might have liked back then, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I would have liked you in any time," Bucky says, soft, clear, and completely sincere. "I do. The way you look now, the way you look usually, whether you're dressed up or not -- but yeah, you look amazing."

[from_the_outside]

She smiles at him, warm and happy, and tops off the flutes before moving over to the blanket she'd spread over the grass. "Come over here," she invites him, as she carefully sits, making sure not to spill any of the champagne.

"Let's have our supper."

[nerves_of_ice]

He picks up the plates he's filled and carries them over to join her, going down on one knee at the edge of the blanket to hold hers out to her first before taking his own seat.

[from_the_outside]

She takes one look at the piled plate he offers her and starts laughing, then sets one of the flutes carefully aside so she can accept it. "Worried I'll waste away to nothing?"

The plate gets set on the blanket near her; she reaches back for the abandoned flute and offers it to him. "Here."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I didn’t want you to be hungry.” He takes the flute and holds it up to her for a toast, smiling.

[from_the_outside]

"You're sweet."

She lifts her own flute and taps it against his, sending a clear chime through the air around them.

[nerves_of_ice]

“Look who’s talking.” He takes a sip of the champagne, then lowers the glass a little and just looks at her, drinking her in.