[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]

"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.

[from_the_outside]

"By way of the dairy," she agrees, and sets the book on the counter with a smile.

"We did. By the way, we heard there's a dairy with a farm stand nearby. Could you tell us how to get there?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"The old Malone place," he agrees, as he starts to ring up the sale.

"Can't miss it. You want to go out of town to the northeast and follow the road a ways, say about five miles or so, and keep an eye out on the left for Pitts' pier on the lake, then take the next right, and it'll be posted after that."

[from_the_outside]

"Great," Sharon says, accepting the bagged book and her receipt, along with her card back. "Thanks. And I'm sure we'll see you again."

"Enjoy your day," the young man tells them. "Drop in anytime."

[nerves_of_ice]

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

He follows Sharon out to the car, carefully loading the produce into the trunk and securing it with the convenient little net he finds there, then starts back toward the passenger seat.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon grins at him and shakes the keys without going to the driver's side yet. "Feel like taking a turn?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He grins back.

"You get us to the dairy, I'll get us back to the compound. Fair?"

[from_the_outside]

"You got it," she laughs, and tosses the keys into her palm with a jingle as she slides into the driver's seat and puts her sunglasses back on.

"C'mon, baby. Let's go for a ride."

Once he's in and buckled, she turns the key in the ignition and the little car purrs to life. She's conscientiously careful navigating through the town, but as soon as they turn onto the northeast road leading toward the lake, she hits the gas and sends them speeding over the blacktop.

[nerves_of_ice]

The convertible clings to the curves like it's painted to them, and Bucky can't help but smile as they zip over the roads.

He keeps an eye out for the landmarks that they'd been given, pointing out the pier when he spots it in the distance.

[from_the_outside]

"Eagle eye," she grins, and slows the car as the pass the pier, keeping an eye out for the turn on the right, looking around at the mellow fields of farmland as they drive.

"Boy, it's pretty up here, isn't it?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"It is," he agrees, and gives her a sideways look. "Virginia's prettier."

[from_the_outside]

"I think so, too."

She glances over at him. She doesn't have words to say how much it means to her that he likes the one place she has a real connection to, but it shows in her smile. "And you haven't even seen the best spots yet."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Will you show me? Someday," he adds, quickly. "When there's time."

[from_the_outside]

"I'd love that."

Her smile quirks, warm. "I think your idea of going down for a few days is great. Maybe we could do a little exploring."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Maybe," he agrees, and points at the turn on the right, and the small sign shaped like a cow swinging on two little chains from a metal post. MALONE FARMS, it reads.

"There, I'm betting."

[from_the_outside]

"I bet you're right."

She slows the car and turns, wheels crunching on the gravel of the side road as they drive along it. Ahead, she can see a large white and green farmhouse with a wraparound porch, silos in the distance. On either side, electric fences line large pastures full of grazing fawn-colored cows, who look up and blink calm liquid eyes at them as they pass.

The farm stand is stationed in a half-circle turnaround on the drive, and appears to be based on the honor system. There's a fridge full of glass bottled milk and cream and eggs in their cartons, hand-lettered with chicken or duck.

There's also a small assortment of produce and flowers, and a cheerful note that tells buyers to take what they like and put the money into the till, then reminds them to bring the bottles back to be re-used.

"Cute," Sharon says, glancing through the products.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky looks absolutely delighted by the options. He steps out of the car and stretches a little, then comes around to join her.

"Pint of cream," he says, with certainty. "Milk -- and eggs?" He glances over at her with the question.

[from_the_outside]

"Fresh eggs? From a dairy farm? You bet, eggs."

They all eat enough eggs to make it well worthwhile. Sharon finds a small basket and begins loading it up, looking in delight as she tips the pint bottle of cream from side to side and watches it coat the glass. "This really is the good stuff."

[nerves_of_ice]

He adds a mixed bouquet of flowers to the top of the basket with a quick smile for her, then digs in his pocket for cash and adds it to the till.

"Fresh fruit used to be a real luxury," he murmurs. "Fresh cream with it, well, that's just amazing."