[oom] all those times we looked up at the sky

[from_the_outside]

Karli's on the move; she'll strike soon. Bucky and Sam have been in long, tense conversations with each other and with Torres, and she herself has been keeping an obsessive eye on the tracker blip that is Batroc.

It's a lot. The air in the apartment is tense. But she still has to laugh at the sight that greets her when she walks into the living room: Bucky crouched down, his phone out as he takes a photo of Alpine, who is lounging in lazy grandeur, soaking up a puddle of sunshine.

"That'll be a good one," she approves. "Baby, I've been wondering – what happened to your nice camera? You didn't leave it in Wakanda, did you?"

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

"They'll enjoy that," he agrees, as he dutifully types out the message and sends it off.

"I will, too. They're good people."

[from_the_outside]

"They liked you." Of course they did, but she's pleased by it anyway.

She still thinks Sam's living a dreamworld if he's going to be able to get her a pardon and down to New Orleans, but for a second she lets herself imagine that it could happen, too. "And it was really nice to be back at the house."

[nerves_of_ice]

"It's a nice house." Bucky gives her a bland look. "For, you know, a mountain mansion."

[from_the_outside]

She rolls her eyes at him.

"It's not a mansion."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Baby, the house has multiple wings," Bucky points out. "That's a mansion in my book."

[from_the_outside]

She purses her lips and tries to look stern, but only ends up laughing. "Okay," she admits.

"It's a really nice house."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky grins and leans in to steal a quick kiss over Alpine's head.

"Yeah, it is."

[from_the_outside]

She kisses him back, sweetly, then tugs at his shirt with the hand that isn't cradling Alpine.

"My blue collar boy," she says, amused. "Here you are with an uptown girl, now."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Uh-huh. I'm outclassed," he agrees, deliberately straight-faced and completely, obviously untroubled.

[from_the_outside]

"Yes," she teases, just as straight-faced, though her eyes are dancing.

"That's exactly what I think."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Well, it's true," he points out.

"Construction worker, dock worker, soldier boy..." Bucky shakes his head. "Blue collar through and through."

[from_the_outside]

"I like it," she says, smiling, and tugs at his shirt again.

"Give me a kiss, soldier boy."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes, ma'am." He slides his hand up her back and leans in around Alpine to kiss her sweetly - and very, very thoroughly.

[from_the_outside]

She makes a soft sound, then a surprised one as Alpine starts struggling in her arm. "Alpine," she says, reproachful, when the kiss has to break so she can lean back.

He miaows and wriggles out of her arms to leap lightly onto the back of the couch, where he settles and leans down to start grooming Bucky's hair.

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'm not a cat, Al," he protests, but holds still for it all the same.

[from_the_outside]

"I'm not sure he can tell that," she says, sitting back and watching, amused.

Alpine's expression says not a cat who knows how to groom himself, no.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky makes a face at her.

"Sure he can. He's a smart little guy, aren't you, Alpine?"

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the cat doesn't answer him.

[from_the_outside]

"Smart enough to know when you need grooming, I guess," Sharon laughs, before lifting her phone and snapping a photo of her own.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Oh, is that how it goes?" Bucky reaches out and catches at her hand, trying to draw her closer.

[from_the_outside]

"I'm afraid so," she says, with no hint of apology or regret at all in her grin. She sets her phone down and lets him take her hand, leaning in close as he coaxes her near.

"This is exactly how it goes."

[nerves_of_ice]

His smile is slow and contented as he draws her close to kiss her again.

"Works for me."

[from_the_outside]

She kisses him back, sweetly, then has to giggle against his mouth.

"Sorry," she says, though she sounds far from apologetic. "But it's hard to take you seriously when you're getting groomed by the cat."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Oh, yeah?"

Bucky twists to look over his shoulder. "Sorry, buddy," he says, and scoops Sharon up in his arms as he stands up, ignoring the meow of protest from the affronted Alpine.

He kisses her again, holding her easily, and starts down the hall, leaving both camera and cat behind.

[from_the_outside]

Her laughter peals out, following them like a bell ringing, as he carries her off down the hall. Alpine gives them a confused look, then hops off the couch and onto the table by the window. Her last view of him before Bucky brings her through the bedroom door is of him settling down for a little bird-watching.

"I think he'll get over it," she promises, and leans down to kiss him back.

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'll give him extra treats later or something."

Bucky kicks the bedroom door shut behind them, just in case, and kisses her yet again.