[oom] an indentation in the shape of you

[from_the_outside]

Her room is closer. If he had to get up to take care of the goats, she'd walk them back down to the little hut by the lake, but K'Senge will still come by in the morning, and her room is closer.

"Follow me," she says, and steps back to take his hand in hers, then walks with him through the quiet halls of the Citadel until they reach her door. She unlocks it and draws him inside, then closes it firmly behind them again. 

Her heart is racing, anticipation chasing sweet fire through her veins as she puts her arms back around his neck. "Welcome to my humble abode," she murmurs, smiling, and kisses him.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

"I am, too," he says, very quietly, watching her face.

[from_the_outside]

She turns her hand beneath his so she can lift it and press a kiss to his fingers, his knuckles, his palm. "More than relieved," she admits.

"Even though I don't know what else there is."

[nerves_of_ice]

"What else?" he echoes, a little confused. He brushes his fingers across her cheek.

[from_the_outside]

"What's past 'relieved'?" she asks, smiling a little.

"How did it go with Ayo? We got the final word, but no details."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Ah."

He dips his head to kiss her shoulder, then rolls out of bed and to his feet.

"Wait here a second, okay?"

Bucky goes across the room to find a glass, then fills it with water and carries it back to her before retrieving a second one for himself.

It buys him time to think.

[from_the_outside]

She watches him move around the room before propping her pillows up against the headboard and sitting up to take the water. "Thanks," she says, and waits until he's come back with his own.

"You don't have to talk about it," she tells him, gently. "If you don't want to. But if you do want to, I'm here."

[nerves_of_ice]

He sits down beside her, stares into the glass, and says nothing.


"I don't know," he says, finally, after several seconds of watching the water ripple slightly.

Doesn't know if he wants to. Doesn't know if he can. How to describe how it felt to climb that mountain in the dark behind Ayo, the other Dora having stayed at the bottom of the path? To sit, waiting in an agony of fear and suppressed hope, watching the fire spark?

To hear the first word uttered in that soft, implacable voice?

[from_the_outside]

"That's okay, too."

It's a lot. It was only hours ago. He'll be sifting through everything that happened tonight for weeks, months... maybe years to come. She lowers her glass so she can lean over and kiss his cheek. "The important thing is they're gone."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes." He downs his water and sets the glass aside. When he looks back at Sharon, the quiet relief on his face is heartbreaking.

"Gone for good."

[from_the_outside]

The relief on his face, in his eyes, makes something in her chest turn over, and she lifts her free hand to cradle his face, thumb smoothing over cheek. "Damn right," she agrees, and gives him her sweetest smile.

"And now you've got all the time in the world."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Uh-huh," he replies, as he tilts his head into her touch, very slightly.

"Now I just have to figure out what to do with it."

[from_the_outside]

"There's always the goats," she says, grinning. "And bead sorting. And it sounds like Shuri's got some big plans for your arm."

She takes her hand away and drains her water glass, then puts it on the side table, right near where that cracked glass art still hangs, before turning back to him. "But you can start all that tomorrow. I bet I can help you figure out what to do with the rest of tonight."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I bet you can, too," he murmurs, as the corner of his mouth quirks up in an amused smile. "Do you have any ideas?"

[from_the_outside]

She leans forward to nudge her forehead against his, grinning slow and amused.

"Kiss me and find out," she invites.

[nerves_of_ice]

There's no possible way he could refuse.

Bucky tips his head to the side and leans in to capture her mouth with his in a slow, lingering kiss.

[from_the_outside]

She returns his kiss and kisses him again, and again, and once more for good measure. They aren't the scorching hot, desperate, needy kisses of earlier; she takes her time, relearning the shape of his mouth and coaxing out the sounds he makes that she loves so much.

When the last one breaks she only pulls far enough away to look at him, her eyes warm and fond. "Do you want to stay here tonight?" she asks. "Or do you want to wake up to your first morning as a free man down at the hut? Either way, I'm staying with you," she adds.

Just in case there was any question about that at all.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Here," he decides, after a moment's thought. It's easy enough, as long as he pushes considerations of preference aside.

He doesn't know what shape the hut's in, and the middle of the night's not the time to figure that out. K'Senge had promised to look after the goats until Bucky himself came to relieve him of duty, so they'll be okay, too. And he's not going to ask Sharon to get dressed and drag her out in the dark of night just to leave the Citadel.

[from_the_outside]

She makes a considering sound and gives him an amused, faintly skeptical look. "Are you sure?" she coaxes. "The hut's all ready for you. I've been keeping it up since you went under. And I wouldn't mind a walk out there; it's a beautiful night."

[nerves_of_ice]

He hesitates.

Visibly.

[from_the_outside]

That hesitation is all she needs to know she was right.

"Just let me get cleaned up," she says, and kisses him once more before sliding off the bed and heading into the bathroom. It takes her a little more time than usual to wash the makeup off, but she hops into the shower and is in and out in less than ten minutes before heading to the wardrobe to get dressed.

Light pants, a tank, some sandals, and she's back to her usual self. It's cool, so she throws on that pretty cream-and-gold cloak Bucky bought her third day here, and holds out her hand to him with a smile. "Come on, baby. Let's get you home."

[nerves_of_ice]

By the time she's out of the shower, he's dressed, the bed's made, and he's taken care of the water glasses. He goes to the window to wait, and stands there, looking out at the night.

He'll call Natasha in the morning. Steve'd said he'd come down then, so he can ask if anyone's told her yet. She needs to know. He needs to be the one to tell her, even if she's already heard.

He's still standing by the window, lost in thought, when Sharon comes to him. He takes her hand and twines his fingers with hers, smiling a little.

"Lead the way, baby."

[from_the_outside]

She tugs gently and walks with him back out of her room, along the quiet halls of the Citadel, and out into the clear cool night. The stars are so thickly scattered in the sky and the moon is so bright that there's more than enough light to see by. The grass is fragrant underfoot, and she can smell lakewater and turned earth as they get close.

The little hut is just as he left it, except for one thing: instead of one throw folded on the chest at the foot of the bed, there are two.

[nerves_of_ice]

He spots the change immediately and looks the question at Sharon.

[from_the_outside]

She shrugs and shrugs off the cloak.

"I use it more down here."

[nerves_of_ice]

He smiles, just a little, and very ruefully. "At least this time I know not to try to bring it back."