[Brooklyn] What are you doing New Year's, New Year's eve?

[from_the_outside]

Her parents had been in full party-prep mode when she and Bucky rolled up to the house, Alpine in his brand-new soft-sided carrier. They'd dodged the caterers and florists and the cater-waiters and found Harrison and Amanda deep in a discussion of which champagne glasses to use. Sharon, recognizing the signs, had given them both a hug and a kiss and promised she and Bucky would be in attendance, then brought Bucky and Alpine up the stairs to her room.

The early sunset had been gorgeous, glowing off the snow-coated woods, but full dark has fallen now. She can hear cars pulling into the drive and the strains of music drifting up from the big room where her parents are greeting their guests. 

She's not quite ready yet, blinking at herself in the bathroom mirror as she applies mascara, her hair in curlers. "How's it going in there, baby?" she calls towards the room. "Does that suit fit okay?"

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

He turns his head and kisses her jaw, her cheek, then her temple, where he lingers. “Hi, baby.”

[from_the_outside]

She grins, loose and dopey, and leans her head into his kiss. "Hi," she murmurs. "Now I really don't know if I'll be able to stand for a shower, you menace."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'll hold you up," he promises, smiling against her skin.

[from_the_outside]

"That doesn't sound very comfortable for you," she points out, her own smile warming as she feels his. "Maybe we should go for a bath instead."

[nerves_of_ice]

"With you in my arms? I'll be plenty comfortable." He pulls back to look at her. "But we can take a bath if you'd rather."

[from_the_outside]

She runs her fingers through his hair, sending it standing up every which way, and laughs.

"You're ridiculous," she teases. "Come on, let's turn the shower on."

[nerves_of_ice]

He chuckles and pulls back from her, then scoops her up into his arms again. "I think we can manage that."

[from_the_outside]

Her laugh echoes quietly around the bathroom, but she allows him to pick her up once more, putting her arms affectionately around his neck until she can reach to turn the water on, sending a spray from the rainfall shower head into the tub.

[nerves_of_ice]

He waits until it has a few moments to warm up, then steps in and under the water, still cradling Sharon close. Water droplets bead on his hair as he ducks his head to give her a quick kiss.

[from_the_outside]

"Ridiculous," she teases him again, and reaches for the shampoo. She squeezes some into her hand, then starts rubbing it through his damp hair, massaging his scalp with the fingers of both hands.

[nerves_of_ice]

He lets out a pleased groan and holds still while she washes his hair. “Remember the first time you did this for me?”

[from_the_outside]

"Uh-huh."

She rubs circles in his scalp, working at it with strong fingers and blunt nails. "You acted like I was going to shave your head."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I was maybe a little skeptical,” he corrects.

[from_the_outside]

"A little?" she teases, and coaxes him to put his head back so she can rinse the suds from his hair. "You said I might stab you."

As she speaks, she rubs the shampoo from his scalp, massaging in slow circles. "When all I wanted to do was give you a nice head massage and trim your hair."

[nerves_of_ice]

He tips his head back into her fingers, turning his face up to the artificial rain.

“Well, you could have, you know.”

[from_the_outside]

"If you'd kept keeping me at arm's length, I might have."

She runs her fingers through his hair and leans in to kiss his throat, tasting the fresh water mixing with the salt on his skin. "But I thought the haircut would be more compelling."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Or the bracelet. I guess that would have been the next step?” he teases.

[from_the_outside]

"There was something appealing about that bracelet idea," she muses, lips twitching.

She finishes rinsing his hair and pulls back to smile at him. "I just wanted to touch you. And I wanted you to want me to touch you more."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I was trying to be considerate,” he points out. “To do the right thing.”

He kisses the tip of her nose and hugs her a little closer before he finally lets her down to stand on her own two feet, keeping an arm around her. “My turn.”

[from_the_outside]

"You were," she assures him. "It was driving me crazy trying to figure how to get you to do the wrong thing instead."

Her feet are still sore, but she can stand just fine, even as she smiles up at him, letting him do whatever it is he has in mind.

[nerves_of_ice]

He eyes the selection of shampoos and picks one that he likes the scent of. Rather than pour it in his left hand, Bucky pours some directly on her hair and starts lathering with his right.

“We’re both stubborn.”

[from_the_outside]

"We sure are."

She makes a soft sound, her eyes half-closing as he scrubs shampoo into her hair. "I'm grateful every day you changed your mind."

[nerves_of_ice]

“So am I,” he murmurs. “Every single day with you is a gift. I don’t ever forget that.”

[from_the_outside]

Neither of them talk much about Madripoor, or about those long awful months for him and the even longer years for her. "Neither do I," she murmurs, her hands settling at his hips, her head tipping back into his touch.

"I never want to be without you again, Bucky."

[nerves_of_ice]

“You never have to be.” Carefully, he slides the fingers of his left hand into her hair as well, trying not to tangle or catch any of it in the joints as he massages her head.