[WWII AU] the streets of london

[nerves_of_ice]

Becky's last letter had suggested she'd be sending a longer one soon, and between that, the previous promise of a knitting circle, and the time of year, Bucky's pretty sure that a care package will be coming their way with the next one.

Given that, it's not too hard to convince Steve that it might be nice to pick up a couple of small things to send back in appreciation when they can. And with that in mind, to suggest that maybe the Agents Carter might enjoy doing a little shopping themselves, and that it'd be only polite for the two of them to help carry packages and make sure they didn't get overcrowded on the streets, or anything like that.

He's pretty darn sure that Steve sees right through him, but his best friend agrees to it, if Bucky can talk Sharon and Peggy into the idea.

He's smiling to himself as he makes his way toward their respective quarters.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"Not even a little."

She gets up and offers the chair to Steve. "Here, Steve. I'll be back in a second."

[nerves_of_ice]

Steve stands when she does, and rests one hand on the back of the chair. "Thank you," he says, and Bucky's pretty darn sure he means more than for the box alone.

[from_the_outside]

She smiles at him, warm, and wonders what might happen to the world if Peggy Carter and Howard Stark could find him in the ice. Would it be so bad?

Sharon gives him a wink and heads out into the corridor, trying to push the thoughts away.

[nerves_of_ice]

"These really are amazing," Bucky says, as soon as she's out of earshot. "I didn't even know you were working on this."

[marvel_npc]

"I got the idea that night Howard tried to send her home," Steve admits. "When you told me about that picture she'd taken. That, and Becky asking about what she looks like..."

He shrugs, shyly pleased with himself. "I'm really glad you like them. I figured... if things go the way we... if she goes back home, you might be glad of a picture."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Definitely," he says. "And I really do. Like them, I mean." Bucky grins. "So will Becky and the other girls. What I wrote to them was a little light on detail."

He hands Steve the letter so he can see for himself.

[marvel_npc]

Steve chuckles as he reads Bucky's handwriting. "Well, it's accurate," he says, encouraging. "And helpful, with the sketch. I couldn't find any paints or colored pencils or anything, so it's good you told them her hair and eye color."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yeah. And the pretty part will be obvious." Bucky shakes his head, smiling. "It's probably just as well Sharon's writing them too. They can ask her all the things they want to directly."

[marvel_npc]

He's a little worried about what happens if the girls get to know Sharon only for her to be taken away and back to her own time, but he's expressed his concerns often enough. And he knows Bucky thinks about them, too. "They'll enjoy that," he says, smiling. "I bet she and Becky would get along like a house on fire."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'm sure they would. Can you imagine?" He can, all too well, and tries not to let himself.

Sharon's going home. They'll find a way.

[marvel_npc]

"Yeah, I can."

Easily. Just like he can easily see Sharon joining them at Coney Island, or walking around Brooklyn. It's been months, now, and even though he hasn't given up hope, he's starting to wonder if that door back to her own time will ever open again. "They'd both get a kick out of giving you a hard time."

[nerves_of_ice]

“No kidding.” He chuckles. “You’d have to help me out on defense, pal.”

[marvel_npc]

"You don't even have to ask."

Happily, it seems like Sharon's as smitten with Bucky as he is with her, so Steve's reasonably sure he won't have to do much in the way of defense, if any of this ever came to pass. "So, which drawing do you think you'll send? Or both? I can do another one for you," he offers, in case that weren't already an offer obviously on the table.

[nerves_of_ice]

"It's hard to decide," he admits. "The one of us together kind of gives them an idea about the... well, the way things are," he settles on. "The other's a really clear look at what she looks like."

[marvel_npc]

Steve gives him a steady look. "How much do you want them to know about the... the way things are?" he asks, carefully. "Considering – well. Considering."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Pretty sure they already suspect," he admits. "Or that Becky does, anyway. But you've got a point."

Bucky stares at the pictures for a moment, then decisively sets the one of him and Sharon together on top of his books and puts the portrait with Steve's page for the letter.

[marvel_npc]

Steve's pretty sure they'll suspect a whole lot once they get this letter, with a whole page from Sharon in it. "Have you," he starts, then licks his lips, unsure of how to continue.

"If... if she can't go back. Have you talked about it, at all?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He casts a quick glance at the door, making sure there's no sign of her return yet, then nods.

"Some. Just a little. More talked around it than anything." He takes a slow breath, letting it out just as slowly.

"I figure - I figure there's going to be a way," he says, finally. "Not that I have a clue what it is, or when. But there's probably going to be one. Either that or all this changing the timeline business that Howard talks about is stuff and nonsense. So I'm trying not to let myself think about it too much."

[marvel_npc]

If changing the timeline is stuff and nonsense, then maybe she can stay here. But he knows better than to say anything like that right now – he knows how Bucky feels about getting her back home.

Still, he thinks he might make a copy of that portrait for him. Just in case. "I hear you, pal."

[nerves_of_ice]

He gives Steve a wry smile. "I mean, nothing's exploded yet, right? So. There's got to be a way."

[marvel_npc]

Steve frowns at him, thinking. "Unless... it's not exploding because this is the timeline."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Could be." Bucky shrugs. "She's the only one who knows what the future says about us. She's being careful not to break things by saying too much, and I haven't pushed. Or even asked, except for one thing."

[marvel_npc]

"I guess we'll see."

He's desperately curious about the future. Sharon could tell them how to win the war, how to fix everything. She could tell him if he – if Peggy –

But he hasn't asked. He's not even sure he wants to know. "But one thing's for certain: your sisters are going to be even more curious about her after this."

[nerves_of_ice]

"We sure will." He sounds confident, even as his expression turns ruefully accepting. "And yeah, I know they are. I figure I'll get about a million questions with the next letter. But that's okay."

[marvel_npc]

Steve chuckles. "No kidding. I think you're going to be sparking a lot more questions than you're answering."