[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

[nerves_of_ice]

"Maybe we can go the long way round," he suggests. "By that dairy Alicia mentioned. Pick up some fresh cream."

Bucky smiles at her. "For your coffee. And the cherries, too."

[from_the_outside]

"Ooh," she says, smiling. "Fresh whipped cream; now that I can definitely make."

She tugs lightly at his hand, beaming at him. He's so happy, and it's infectious. From where she's standing, it's hard to think the future could be anything but bright. "We could swing by the bookstore, first. See if there's anything that might be nice to add to your collection?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Or yours," he says, smiling back at her. "Okay. Let's."

It's a gorgeous day, sunny and warm but not too hot, and he's happy to go anywhere with her.

[from_the_outside]

"Besides, we told that guy we'd be back," she points out, as they stroll out towards the edge of the market side street.

It really is a nice little town, and she enjoys looking around as they walk. They're not the only ones with spring fever, it seems; plenty of townsfolk are out and about, running errands and enjoying the sunshine. The bookstore is across the street from where they parked, and it's as cool and quiet inside as she remembered.

"Hey, man," says the cashier, looking up at the sound of the bell that rings when they come in. "How's Lord of the Rings treating you?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Pretty good so far," Bucky tells him, a little surprised to have been remembered. "I just finished with The Two Towers."

He'd started over with The Hobbit and taken his time reacquainting himself with the old and the new, between everything else that's been going on.

[from_the_outside]

"Sweet," says the cashier. "Let me know if I can help with anything."

"We will," Sharon tells him. "Thanks."

He lifts a hand and goes back to his own book, and Sharon tugs Bucky's hand, smiling up at him. "Let's look around."

[nerves_of_ice]

He lets her draw him along deeper into the cozy store, between shelves crowded with options.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?"

[from_the_outside]

"No," she admits, freely. "But it seemed like you enjoyed looking around last time. And there's something fun about poking around a little bookstore like this."

[nerves_of_ice]

He chuckles at that, very softly. "You're too good to me, baby."

[from_the_outside]

"No such thing," she says, with certainty, and squeezes his fingers. "Go look around. I'm going to check out those paperbacks over there."

[nerves_of_ice]

He's not entirely sure what he wants to look at, but he responds to Sharon's gentle prodding and drifts off among the stacks. Bucky wanders aimlessly at first, but slows as he reaches a display of books by classic and modern photojournalists.

[from_the_outside]

She's watching him more than looking for books for herself, cheerfully making mental notes of the things he pauses at or seems interested in.

Her smile quirks, a little wistful, at his choice. He's taken some beautiful and interesting photos with his new camera, but it's still not safe for him to take any of her.

Someday, she promises herself. When it can't be used against either of them.

[nerves_of_ice]

He flips through a few with care, examining them, then puts them back and drifts further down the stacks. Bucky turns up his nose at a grouping of true crime books, ignores the mystery section, and lingers over a series of essays and regional history books for several minutes before he puts the one he'd gotten lost in down on the shelf and turns to look for Sharon.

[from_the_outside]

At his soft footsteps, Sharon puts down the paperback she'd been flipping through and smiles at him.

"Anything catch your eye?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He shrugs. "A couple of things, a little, but nothing I need."

[from_the_outside]

"Show me?"

He might not need them, but if they're things he likes, she wants to be able to make note of them for later.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky gives her a look that’s a little uncertain, but leads her back to the first display and picks up the book he’d just left there.

It’s a history of New York State, divided by region, facts presented together with memoir essays from across the years by the people who lived there, illustrated with photographs.

“This,” he says, simply.

[from_the_outside]

She takes the book from him and flips through it, the glossy pages slick against her fingertips. "This is pretty nice," she muses, studying the photos and the essays before she looks up at him and smiles.

"And if you're going to be spending some time here, why not learn about the area?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"And it's people's own stories," he murmurs. "What they remember. You know?"

[from_the_outside]

She nods and looks back through the book, carefully turning pages, thinking about waking up from her nap on the couch in the house in the mountains and seeing him reading, and the peace of that mental image.

"Let me get this for you," she murmurs. "We're celebrating, remember?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"You got the books for me last time," he protests. It's not quite a no, but his concern is real. "And Steve might not want my stuff cluttering up his place."

[from_the_outside]

"So?"

She shakes her head at his other concern. "Four books is hardly clutter," she points out. "And you know Steve won't care."

If anything, she thinks Steve will probably be delighted that Bucky's putting down a few small roots. Books aren't the hardest things to move, but they aren't the easiest, either, and it's not like he could take hardcovers with him on the run. "Maybe he'd like to read it, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

"He might," he murmurs, looking thoughtfully at the cover. Bucky glances back up at Sharon.

"If you're sure. Thank you."

[from_the_outside]

"I'm sure," she says, her smile warming. "And you're welcome."

She carries the book in her right hand and reaches with her left to squeeze his fingers. "Come on, let's check out and get this nice fresh produce back to Steve's apartment."

[nerves_of_ice]

"By way of the dairy," he reminds her, as he squeezes her hand back and follows her up to the counter.

"Find something?" the bookseller asks, closing his own book.