[ OOM ] paint me in a corner and my color comes back

[from_the_outside]

Are we okay? he'd asked, there by the sunny shore of the impossible inlet, and the truth is: she's not sure. 

Something is still gnawing at her, sharpening her temper and setting her on edge. It knots in her stomach, unhappy and annoyed, and kills her appetite, leaves her preoccupied. The only way she can keep from brooding or snapping at him or picking another fight is to simply remove herself from being around him so much, and thankfully she has a ready-made opportunity: the office she plans to set up in what was originally her rooms at the Citadel. It gives her something to focus on, something to do, and it keeps her away from the hut by the lake for large swathes of the day and into the evening.

There's zero chance he won't notice she's avoiding both him and a replay of their fight, but Bucky won't push. He's not like her. And probably they both need some time to think about things. Besides, withdrawing a bit is better than getting into another argument, right?

(She's conscious of how different a call she'd have made when she first got here, but all it does is annoy her further.)

But there's a lot of work to do if she's going to set things up to work more effectively with Fury, and there's nothing like setting up a series of internal security measures to distract her from her thoughts. Also distracting: M'Baku's here, somewhere, and it would be nice to catch up with him before he heads back to Jabariland. But first things first.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

He's pretty sure that deep down, a part of him will always wonder if she and Steve might not have made a go of it, but between the shadow of Peggy Carter and his own presence, they'll never know.

"Good thing," he agrees, instead.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon tugs at his shirt again, trying to distract him from whatever thoughts he'd been drifting into. "Hey."

Her smile is sweet and arch all at once. "That was forever ago. You're stuck with me now, soldier boy."

[nerves_of_ice]

He covers her hand with his, cool metal fingers squeezing hers with care as he smiles back at her. "I'm glad."

[from_the_outside]

"Me too. Partly because it means I get to say stuff like this to you."

Sharon leans forward and brushes her lips over his, her voice dropping again to a murmur. "Let's go to bed."

[nerves_of_ice]

His smile flashes, quick and bright. Bucky doesn’t answer her in words, but instead gathers her into his arms and rises to his feet in one smooth motion, carrying her with him.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon laughs and relaxes into his arms, her own around his neck. "One of these days, you're gonna get tired of carting me around."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Not likely. Besides, you hardly weigh anything."

He kisses the tip of her nose and cradles her close as he takes her into the bedroom and lowers her gently to the bed.

[from_the_outside]

She grips at his shirt as he sets her down, tugging him toward her.

"Come curl up with me."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'm right here," he promises, and suits actions to words as he follows her down and stretches out beside her. "Come here."

[from_the_outside]

She rolls to her side to press against his, sliding one long leg over his thigh as she puts her arms around him and tucks her head into the crook of his shoulder.

"That's better."

[nerves_of_ice]

He curls his arm around her and rests his other hand at her waist, then presses a kiss to her hair.

"Sleep," he murmurs. "I'll be here when you wake up."

[from_the_outside]

She makes a soft sound as she closes her eyes and relaxes into him. "Rest, baby," she murmurs back. "I love you."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I love you, too."

He feels her settle against him as she unwinds, and listens to the quiet sound of her breathing as she slips into sleep. It's not long before he follows her.