[AU] there's grief of Want and grief of Cold

[from_the_outside]

She sleeps later than she had the day before – a combination of not having to get up and go to the doctor and exhaustion – and when she comes downstairs, the house is quiet but coffee is already made. After making herself a cup, she pads barefoot to the door and steps out into the crisp mountain morning.

She's unsurprised to see that Bucky is up, and to find Steve's motorcycle gone from the driveway. "Steve head out already?"

Comments

[marvel_npc]

"It is, isn't it."

He's pleased. It's not for everyone, of course, but then what is? "Beautiful country. I used to come out this way with my father as a boy, so when the chance came to snap up this property, we couldn't resist."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Of course," he agrees, careful not to think about the apartments in Brooklyn that he'd grown up in and then lived in with Steve, during the Depression and before the war.

"There's just something about having that kind of connection that makes it even better. Especially since Richmond's only, what, a couple of hours away at most?"

[from_the_outside]

"Maybe too close," comes Sharon's tired morning voice. She pads into the kitchen on bare feet and kisses her mother's upturned cheek, then puts a vague hand on her father's shoulder as she beelines for the coffee.

"Look who's joined the land of the living," says Amanda, giving her daughter an amused look. "Good morning, kitten."

Sharon makes a not-very-polite grumbling sound. Amanda laughs.

[nerves_of_ice]

He manages to keep from laughing, but it's a near thing.

"Morning," he offers, mildly. "Did you sleep well?"

[from_the_outside]

She finishes making her coffee – just the basics, milk and sugar, she's too tired to worry about cinnamon – and aims a slightly rumpled glare at him, but it lacks its usual verve.

"Fine," she says, and swallows some coffee against the gravel in her throat.

"Darling," Amanda reproaches. "You could try to be a little more human in the morning when we have guests."

Sharon only shakes her head and goes to take the last seat at the kitchen island. It's not like he hasn't seen her at worse.

[nerves_of_ice]

He notices her omission and realizes that the cinnamon isn't out with the rest of the coffee things, having been put away the night before. Bucky slides from his seat and goes to retrieve it from the spice cabinet. He sets it down in front of Sharon, resumes his seat, and reclaims his own coffee cup.

"Anyway," he continues, to Harrison, "I can see how having this place so near would be great for getaways."

So to speak.

[from_the_outside]

She gives the cinnamon a faintly dumbfounded look before it really registers, then shakes her head even as she adds a little to her coffee.

(If he really wants to convince her that he's bad news and too dangerous to be around, he should really stop doing things like getting her cinnamon for her coffee.)

When she looks up, she accidentally catches her mother's eye. Amanda Carter doesn't miss a thing, she thinks, a little grimly, and looks away as she sips at her coffee.

[marvel_npc]

"It's excellent for that," Harrison promises the younger man. "We're so busy back home in Richmond, it's nice to come out here and get away from everything for a while."

"And everyone," Amanda laughs. "I think the closest neighbor is twenty minutes away."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Peaceful," he observes. "I'm more used to city crowds myself, but you're right, this is nice."

He glances at Sharon.

[from_the_outside]

Oh, she knows that look. She takes a larger swallow of coffee to rally herself and turns to her parents.

"So what's on the docket for you two today?" she asks, then looks at her father. "Are you going into the office?"

That should buy some time: her mother launches into an explanation of the luncheon she's attending and her father talks amiably about work and the new accounts and his newest brilliant hire. Sharon just lets it wash over her and sips at her coffee, every now and again asking a question designed to start them up again.

They talk at Bucky, of course, but there's neither the expectation nor opening for him to give any kind of response.

[nerves_of_ice]

He doesn't sigh in relief, but he thinks about it, even as he nods in all the right places and gives the occasional wordless hum of interest and acknowledgment.

It's been a long, long time since he's had to engage in this kind of social conversation.

[from_the_outside]

It's about twenty minutes later and Sharon's about halfway into her second cup of coffee when Amanda glances at the time on the microwave. "Goodness, it's getting late," she exclaims, and looks at her husband.

"Darling, we really should get going."

"All right," says Harrison, getting up from the island and removing his cup and Amanda's to the sink. "Yes, we should get on the road."

Sharon gets up and goes to put her arms around his middle, and he wraps her in a warm, careful hug and kisses her hair. "Please take care of yourself, pumpkin," he tells her, and she nods before letting go.

"It's really good to see you," she tells her mother, when Amanda comes in for a hug as well. "Drive safe."

[marvel_npc]

Amanda gives her daughter a careful squeeze, and Harrison goes to pick up their bags and offer a hand to shake to James.

"Wonderful to meet you," he tells the younger man, smiling warmly. "So glad you could come. You're welcome any time, James. Let's not make this the last visit."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Great to meet you too," he says, with an answering smile as he returns the handshake. "And thank you."

He can't help it - he likes Sharon's parents. They genuinely seem like good people.

[marvel_npc]

It's Amanda's turn next; she offers her hand to shake, then steps in to kiss his cheek. "I'm very glad you're here, James," she tells him. "Keep an eye on this one, won't you?"

Somewhere behind her, Sharon sighs, and Amanda's smile grows. "I hope we'll see you again soon."

Harrison brings the bags out and Sharon comes to stand on the porch as they get into the car, her arms wrapped around herself in the chilly morning air. She waves as Harrison honks the horn and doesn't go back inside until the car is heading back down the drive.

"I like him," Amanda says, once she's settled back in her seat, and Harrison nods.

"Me too."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky looks up as Sharon walks back into the kitchen.

"Want another cup of coffee?" he asks.

[from_the_outside]

"Honestly? I want to go back to bed," she says, a little facetiously. Now that her parents are gone, she drops the 'awake enough to socialize' act and scrubs her hands over her face.

"But I'll settle for another cup of coffee."

[nerves_of_ice]

"You can do that too," he points out, even as he snags the pot and refills her mug. "I can keep an eye on your phone in case Steve calls."

[from_the_outside]

"I'll probably just take a nap later."

She feels a little better, but she'll probably stick with the codeine another day or two. She re-doctors her coffee and takes a sip. "I hope my mother wasn't down here hassling you at the break of dawn."

[nerves_of_ice]

"She gets up pretty early," he observes. "Don't worry about it, Sharon. It's fine."

[from_the_outside]

"I'll take that as a 'yes,'" she says, wry. "I'm so sorry. She means well."

[nerves_of_ice]

"It's fine," he says again, gently. "She didn't bother me. She was just concerned about you... and curious."

[from_the_outside]

"She's almost as good at sniffing out secrets as Nat is," Sharon tells him, and gazes ruefully into her coffee.

"She was so upset when I went into SHIELD. She tried to talk me out of it. They both did."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Almost," he agrees.

"I guess they had to try. But I don't think you'd really have been happy otherwise. And I figure they probably know that, too."

[from_the_outside]

"Sure. But that doesn't mean they don't both secretly hold out hope I'll give up the agent life and come back to Richmond."

She sighs and lifts her coffee. "Anyway, they're gone now. We can both relax."