[Ohio AU] the heart of winter

[nerves_of_ice]

Coulson had been called away on something for Fury before they'd gotten more than halfway to wherever his locker is and the set of trading cards stored within it. Without anything else to do, Bucky makes his way back to the quarters he's been given. It's either that or explore the rest of the helicarrier on his own, and that seems like something that can wait safely enough.

He swings by the mess on the way back. As he'd suspected, it's not placed too far distant from what serves as a commissary on this boat. He requisitions a couple of notebooks, a couple of pencils and pens and takes it all with him.

Might as well start with a report on the other Soldiers, he decides. That's likely to be more important in the immediate future than anything else.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

It takes hours to deal with all the lab personnel from the North Institute, and Sharon's tired but triumphant when she finally leaves her last meeting with Fury, Coulson, and Nat and heads back to the living areas. Her own quarters are empty, when she glances inside, and she only pauses a moment for a drink of water before she's moving back to the hall to rap lightly on the next door over.

"Sergeant," she says, loud enough for someone inside to hear. "Are you there?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He'd finished summarizing the report from the manual and moved on to trying to give his own impressions of the Soldiers from personal knowledge and their one post-serum encounter. It's taking longer, because picking through the shattered mess of his mind isn't a fast process, he's found.

When the knock sounds, Bucky's sitting in lotus position on the floor with his eyes closed, trying to trace his own thoughts.

"I'm here." He doesn't get up; he recognizes her voice. "It's unlocked."

[from_the_outside]

She slips inside and locks the door behind her, then smiles when she turns and finds him sitting on the floor, cross-legged. "Am I interrupting you?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"No. I was just trying to remember some things." Bucky looks up at her. "How'd it go?"

[from_the_outside]

"Good, all things considered." Instead of taking a seat, she comes to join him on the floor, wincing a little as her stiff, bruised muscles protest. Her hand has blossomed into a truly remarkable shape of purple on the palm, but at least the stitched wound is healing nicely. "We got some solid intel on the Siberia facility. I think..."

She blows out a breath and looks over at him. "I think we'll be able to pull this off. Maybe even with just a small team."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Solid intel's good. Smaller's probably better as long as they're still on ice." She winces as she starts to lower herself to the floor, and he mentally kicks himself for not anticipating how sore she probably is.

"Here." He uncoils with surprising speed and stands, moving to catch her around the waist before she can sit all the way down.

[from_the_outside]

He's up in a flash, and in the next second she's looking up into his face, surprised, as he catches her. "Thanks."

Everything still hurts, a lot. All her bruises have blossomed into deep purples and blues, and she feels them burrowed into her muscles. "I'm still pretty sore."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Not surprising, all things considered. Is there a sickbay on this boat? We could get you some meds."

He keeps his arm around her waist for a moment, making sure she's steady on her feet.

[from_the_outside]

"There is," she promises. "And we can, later. I'll need to have someone on the medical staff take out my stitches in a couple of days, anyway."

His arm is still around her waist, and she slides her own around his, turning slightly to face him. "But not right now."

[nerves_of_ice]

A shiver runs through him as she puts her arm around him and shifts toward him.

"If you're sure." Soft, but clear. He holds himself still, looking down at her. "I don't w--"

The programming catches him and he chokes on the words. Coughing, he tries again. "It's important you not be hurt."

[from_the_outside]

She smiles up at him, small but warm. "I'll be okay," she promises. "It'll just take me a lot longer than you. By next week I should be feeling a lot better."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Not soon enough, but I'll take what I can get."

He should let her go, he's sure of it, but he can't quite bring himself to do so just yet.

[from_the_outside]

Her smile softens, and she lifts her other arm to settle her hand on his chest (it hurts too much to reach up and put it around his neck). "If you keep holding onto me like this, it's going to make passing on the intel a little awkward."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Should I apologize?" he asks, honestly uncertain. It seems like she's teasing him, but she might not be, judging from the gentleness in her smile.

"Or how about I invite you to sit down instead. Make yourself comfortable."

[from_the_outside]

She shakes her head, sending waves of her hair tugging over her shoulders. "Don't apologize."

Why would he, when this is exactly where she's wanted to be since before they left the house this morning? Sharon watches him for a moment, then pushes up in the circle of his arm, tipping her face up to brush a kiss over his lips.

[nerves_of_ice]

His breath catches in his throat and his arm around her waist tightens as he leans into her and kisses her back.

[from_the_outside]

They have to talk about Siberia, and make plans, and she's got plenty to ask him about, but it can all wait for a long, lingering moment as she makes a small sound and slides her hand up to cradle his cheek, savoring this kiss.

[nerves_of_ice]

He tilts his head into her hand, craving her touch and deepening their kiss in the same moment before it breaks.

"Sharon." A single breath, a whisper that trembles, and he kisses her again.

[from_the_outside]

She smiles against his lips as she falls into his kiss again, willing and warm, kissing him back for another long moment where her heart skips and quickens. "If we keep this up, we're gonna end up doing mission planning in bed," she murmurs. "Not that I'm against that, but I figured I should probably point it out."

[nerves_of_ice]

He holds her to him and leans his forehead against hers for a moment. "Mission planning first. You wouldn't want to be distracted."

Bucky makes himself let go and takes a prudent step back to draw out the desk chair for her.

[from_the_outside]

She scrunches up her nose at him, breathless and amused. "Spoilsport."

But she does take the chair and sits, leaning forward to lace her fingers together on the desk. "First things first. Several of the lab techs told us the Siberia facility has largely been shut down. If there are personnel still there, it's a skeleton crew."

She takes a breath, lets it out. "And as far as they knew, the other soldiers... they're still in cryo."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I've been called worse." He moves to lean against the wall across from her.

Bucky stays silent for several seconds, considering that. "Looks like Karpov really did mean to shut the program down with the sale."

[from_the_outside]

She nods. "Seems that way. And if the intel is accurate... and I think it is, since we got it out of multiple informants... we should be able to manage with just a small strike team. You, me, Tony... maybe one or two more."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods back, in agreement with her observation. "Will your Director want to be part of it?"

That could cause more problems than it solves, but he doesn't know the man well enough yet to say.

[from_the_outside]

"Not as one of the boots on the ground," she tells him. "But he damn sure wants to be involved in planning... especially when it comes to what we should do with the other soldiers."