[AU] these are not the parts and poems of the body only, but of the soul

[from_the_outside]

They've all entered a kind of tense détente after the ill-advised dinner party. Tony throws himself into work, Sharon and Pepper mostly avoid each other, and Steve, Vision, and Nat continue with oversight duties.

And the thing is... Tony's working it out. 

Not a removal, exactly, but he's getting close, he'd told them, to at least blocking the commands. It's not perfect and it's not a permanent solution, but it's a step in the right direction. It's also a step in the direction of Tony needing to test the words on Bucky himself, and so Sharon and Steve are on extra high alert, keeping an eye out for any indication that Bucky's retreating into himself again. Sharon's mostly moved into the room they share in Steve's apartment for that very reason, though she still isn't wholly comfortable with being in Steve's space all the time.

He's away today, working with Sam and Rhodey on a veteran's outreach program, so it's Sharon who walks with Bucky through the halls of the compound towards Tony's rooms. "It's you and Vision with Tony today," she tells him, and glances across the distance they're careful to maintain when not alone behind closed doors.

"How are you feeling about everything?"

Comments

[from_the_outside]

She smiles and gives him a small nod, then looks back across the table, eying the scraped-clean plates with amusement.

"Looks like this was a hit," she says, to the table at large. "So, who's going to volunteer to do the dishes?"

[marvel_npc]

Bucky starts to stand, only for Steve to catch him by the shoulder as Sam shakes his head.

“No, we got this,” Sam insists. “Y’all put in all the work, we can bat cleanup.”

Steve smiles at Bucky. “Listen to Sam,” he tells him.

[from_the_outside]

"Thanks, Sam," Sharon says, as he gets up and starts collecting plates.

"Thank you," he says, with feeling, and grins at her before turning his smile on Wanda and Bucky. "Been a while since I've had homemade pie. Brought me right back. Now we ever do a crawfish boil? I'm your guy."

[nerves_of_ice]

“What’s that?” Wanda asks. Sam grins at her. “Sounds like we need to do one soon. You boil up a mess of crawfish, corn on the cob, new potatoes, and let loose for a real all you can eat kind of thing.”

Bucky leans back in his chair a little, just listening, a small smile on his face.

[from_the_outside]

"What are crawfish?" Wanda asks, and Sam grins, pausing in his task to dig out his phone and pull up a picture to show her. She leans over, curious, then looks at him. "Those are bugs!"

"Mud bugs," Sam confirms, grinning even more widely. "And they're delicious. You'll see. Once it gets warm enough, we'll do it outside, 'cause it makes a mess."

[nerves_of_ice]

“It’s a Louisiana thing,” Steve tells Wanda and Vision, who’s leaned over for a look of his own. “Or so Sam says.”

“That’s ‘cause it is,” he calls over his shoulder.”

Bucky looks at Steve. “Something new every day, I guess.”

[from_the_outside]

Sharon tries to picture her parents digging in to a table full of crawfish boil, eating with their hands and getting butter everywhere, and has to stifle a grin. "Sounds fun," she says, and doesn't let herself wonder if she might be around to enjoy it with them.

"But one culinary adventure has been enough for me today."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Agent Carter, you’ve been very patient. I’ll come help you with the details for your report,” Bucky says, then glances at Steve.

“And I’ll get the pan in the kitchen, too. See you there in a bit.”

[from_the_outside]

Steve lifts a hand to in farewell as he gets up to help Sam. "You wash, I'll dry," he says, jogging up to the counter as Sharon gets up from the table and slants a smile at Wanda and Vision.

"Thanks for the help," she tells them, and goes to the counter to pick up the pie pan with the remaining pieces before turning to Bucky. "Ready when you are, Sergeant."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Yes, ma’am,” Bucky says, and falls in beside her with a nod of farewell for the others.

[from_the_outside]

She's lost in thought as they walk, ruminating over her conversation with Colonel Rhodes, but after they've turned down a few corridors, she shakes herself out of it and glances at him with a smile.

"That was nice, huh?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“It was.” He gives her a sideways look. “For you, too? I know you haven’t spent a lot of time around the others.”

Not that he has either, but more than her.

[from_the_outside]

"Sure."

She probably shouldn't do it a lot, considering, but it was nice for today. "And the pie turned out great."

[nerves_of_ice]

“It really did. I’d never have imagined there were so many tricks to making a pie.”

He opens the apartment door for her and is pleased to find it doesn’t smell like smoke any longer, having thoroughly aired out.

[from_the_outside]

"I'm sure there are reasons for all of it, but it still seems like magic to me."

She's pleased to see that Steve's apartment hasn't burned down, even with the oven on a self-clean cycle. The kitchen smells a little toasted when she goes in to put the pie in the fridge, but the oven has shut itself off and is making contented ticking noises as it cools, fresh air floating in through the still open window.

[nerves_of_ice]

“Maybe it is.”

He follows her into the kitchen and leans against the counter, watching her.

[from_the_outside]

She sets the pie in the fridge and nocks her hip against the counter, arms folded as she gives him an amused look.

"Sorry to say she can not bake a cherry pie, charming Billy. But at least we know someone who can."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I’m not sorry.” He pushes away and comes to her, setting one hand against the counter on each side of her. Bucky looks down at her, a soft look in his eyes and a small, warm smile on his lips.

“I’d rather have you than pie any day.”

[from_the_outside]

"Whoa, let's not get hasty, here," she teases, even as she puts her arms around his neck and tips her head back to smile at him. "What kind of pie are we talking about?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“A sweet one,” he decides, and leans down to kiss her, slow and lingering. When it breaks, he adds, “Worth being savored,” his breath warm against her mouth.

[from_the_outside]

"Pretty sure pie is a lot easier to swallow than I usually am," she points out, but she's smiling as she kisses him again. "Hi."

The only thing that could have made the last few hours better would have been not needing to pretend they're nothing more than professional acquaintances, turned friendly due to circumstance. "Did you have fun?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“You know, I did,” he murmurs, putting his arms around her and drawing her close. “I really did.”

Bucky tips his head to kiss her again, taking the time to enjoy the feel of her against him.

[from_the_outside]

"Good."

Her voice is soft before she kisses him back, sweet and lingering, threading her fingers up through the hair at the back of his head.

[nerves_of_ice]

He makes a low sound deep in his chest as her fingers weave through his hair and kisses her once more.

“Sharon,” he whispers. “Sharon.”

[from_the_outside]

"Hi, baby," she murmurs back, drawing her fingers through his hair slowly, then slipping them up into it again as she leans her forehead against his. "I wish we didn't have to keep this a secret."