[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.

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[nerves_of_ice]

He chuckles a little at that - she’s right, Steve’s dedicated to them all, but there’s not a man who doesn’t know that it was Bucky’s capture that spurred Cap’s first rescue mission.

He reaches to catch her hand, twining his fingers with hers and bending his head to kiss them.

[from_the_outside]

She laces her fingers with his and takes a moment to shove away the swell of sadness that threatens to overwhelm her. Never before has she struggled so much to do her duty, or even thought about letting her personal feelings get in the way.

"We went shopping in London today and met a friendly cat who fell in love with Bucky instantly," she reads. "That's not an important story, I just thought you should know, because I would never deny you the mental image of him petting a big, lazy, orange cat with a purr like a motor. Clearly, his charm works on animals and people alike."

She licks her lip and keeps reading. "I hope all this will put your minds at rest about your brother and me. Now, I want to hear all about you girls. How are you liking Indiana? What do all of you like to do when you have some free time? Does that dog from next door still come by? What's your favorite thing to do in the winter? I used to love to go sledding and ice skating. Do you have snow yet? And, of course, I'd appreciate any embarrassing stories about your big brother."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Ice skating?” he murmurs. “Oh, I’d love to take you to New York for Christmas.”

Bucky smiles up at her. “You’re going to get a book’s worth of letters back, you know that, right?”

[from_the_outside]

"I'd like that, too," she murmurs, and smiles before returning to her letter.

"I hope you all have a very happy holiday. Please give my best to your mother. Very sincerely, Sharon Carter."

Setting the page aside, she smiles at him again. "What do you think?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“I think it’s perfect. And so are you.”

He reaches to cup his hand around the nape of her neck and leans his forehead against hers.

[from_the_outside]

She leans towards him and sets her hands on his thighs, closing her eyes and breathing him in. "I'm pretty far from perfect, darling," she murmurs. "But I'm glad you liked the letter. I hope they do, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

“They will,” he assures her. Bucky runs his fingers along her throat and lays his hand against her shoulder.

“I know it’s got to be hard on you. With the holidays coming,” he says, very softly. “I promise we’ll make it as special as we can.”

[from_the_outside]

"I'm trying not to think about it."

About that, or anything else that she can't, or shouldn't, change. She lifts a hand and strokes it over his hair. "But at least I'll get to spend them with you."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I wasn’t sure,” he murmurs. “If you’d rather tell me about what it’s like, back where you’re from, or not consider it.”

He tilts his head into her touch. “I could imagine for you. What it’d be like if we were in New York together. And tell you about that, instead.”

[from_the_outside]

"I'll tell you about it," she promises, and sinks her fingers into his hair, toying gently with the soft strands. "And I'd love to hear about what Christmas would be like in New York."

She tugs very lightly at his hair. "Come curl up with me while we talk?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“Let me lock the door,” he murmurs. “And then yes.”

He leans over to kiss her, sweet and lingering, then gets to his feet.

[from_the_outside]

She waits for him to lock the door, then gets up and reaches for his hand, coaxing him over to the bed. "So," she murmurs. "Christmas with the Carters. There's only three of us, and my parents are older, so Christmas was always pretty quiet and cozy."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Did you still hang up stockings? Have a tree, decorate, all that?” He’s wildly curious. Bucky settles back on the bed, leaning against the wall, and coaxes her in turn to curl up beside him, in his arms.

[from_the_outside]

"Uh-huh."

She curls against him and settles her head on his shoulder, her arms going around his middle. "Every year, we'd get a tree in the first week of December. Then we'd spend an evening listening to Christmas music and decorating it. My mom loves collecting ornaments. She has some beautiful glass ones she puts up every year."

[nerves_of_ice]

He runs one hand gently up and down her arm as she talks. “Sounds lovely. Must really make the tree sparkle.”

[from_the_outside]

"It does. We use white lights on the tree, and they look like stars caught in the branches."

She cuddles closer, as if by holding onto him a little more tightly she could pull him into her world and her time, where he'd be safe and the war would be over. "We each get new pajamas on Christmas Eve, and Christmas morning we open our stockings while we have coffee. Then we have a lazy brunch before we open presents."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Wearing your new pajamas?” It’s oddly enchanting. He likes the image he’s seeing in his mind’s eye.

[from_the_outside]

"Wearing our new pajamas," she confirms. "So Christmas is pretty low-key. But New Year's is a whole other ballgame."

She smiles up at him. "Remember the house I showed you? The one in Virginia? We throw a big New Year's Eve party there every year. Everyone dresses up. Sometimes black tie, sometimes cocktail attire. There's champagne and shrimp and oysters and the whole house is lit up."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky lets out a low whistle. “That’s one fancy party.” He presses a light kiss to her hair.

“The big hotels put on shindigs like that. Never been to one myself, but it’s something to see everyone heading in, and the way it’s all decorated.”

[from_the_outside]

"It is," she agrees. "My parents love it. I haven't been able to be home for it for a while now, but they tell me all about it."

She reaches to tug affectionately at his shirt. "I could just see you there, dressed to the nines, charming all my parents' friends."

[nerves_of_ice]

“With you on my arm, nobody’d be looking at me,” he teases. “I bet you’d outshine everyone.”

[from_the_outside]

"Not a chance," she teases back. "You're irresistible, baby. They'd all think so, too."

She reaches to fold back his collar and places a light kiss against the side of his neck. "Tell me about what it would be like in New York?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He shivers a little at the touch of her lips. “Well, you already heard about my attempt at a tree last year,” he says, dryly. “The year before it was a branch, but a nice big one, really green and fresh, so almost a tree.”

Bucky looks down at her and smiles. “One year I got clever with a knife and made tinsel out of wood shavings. Steve drew us a set of ornaments like the ones he sent the girls, and we lit candles and watched the way the flickering light made it all seem to sparkle.”

[from_the_outside]

"Smart," she says, smiling. "Inventive. It sounds really cosy."

[nerves_of_ice]

“It was.” He smiles back. “We always did stockings, too. Sometimes we had to get clever to fill the girls’, but usually we managed to figure something out. And then Steve and I would do one for each other, of course.”

He curves his arm around her waist and cuddles her closer. “We’d go up to Rockefeller Center and look at the big tree there, and the way everything was lit up, and just take it all in. There’s nothing like New York at Christmastime. It’s gorgeous.”