[oom] let me lead you to the promised land

[from_the_outside]

 It is intensely weird to step back through the door into the bright Wakandan afternoon, but the denizens of the strange-as-hell Bar at the End of the Universe were right: no time has passed at all.

She wishes it had. This just makes it seem even more impossible, a dream she can't begin to explain.

Bucky's had coffee and she's had wine and both of them are full of Sunshine's cinnamon rolls, which is all good except for how her go-to busywork of making coffee to give herself a second to think is even more unnecessary than usual. She goes into the hut to grab the wool throws instead, taking them over to the shade tree as her mind whirls.

There's a lot to take in. And a lot to think about.

"So," she says, once she's sat down. She loops her arms around her knees and studies him. 

"That was interesting."

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"Okay."

The smile she gives him is very sweet. "Sounds good to me."

[nerves_of_ice]

He smiles back, then sobers.

“Zinda’s a friend,” he says. Both expression and tone are absolutely serious. “Yes, we spent some time together, but without anything serious. We both agreed on that. And once you got here - once I knew - I haven’t been with her, or anyone, like that.”

[from_the_outside]

Her own expression sobers, and she nods once he's finished.

"I believe you," she says, first. It's most important. "Does she know it's off the table now?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“Yes. But she’s still my friend.”

[from_the_outside]

"Well," she says, "it's always good to have more friends."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky smiles.

[from_the_outside]

She smiles back at him.

"So," she says. "We good?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“As far as I’m concerned we are,” he tells her.

[from_the_outside]

"Me too."

She tips her head at the spot next to her by the tree. "Come over here?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He shifts to sit beside her, leaning back against the tree.

[from_the_outside]

She waits until he's settled before she moves to settle on her hip facing him, leaning on one hand and lifting the other to run all five fingers back through his hair.

"You did good, Barnes," she tells him, fond.

[nerves_of_ice]

The look he gives her is a little skeptical.

“Yeah?”

[from_the_outside]

"Yeah," she says, certainly.

"Maybe I didn't, but you did. You always do a lot better than you think, Bucky."

[nerves_of_ice]

He shakes his head. “You did fine.”

[from_the_outside]

"The wine helped," she admits.

"And the smiley face was very cute."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Bar’s nice,” he agrees. “And really helpful.”

A small, amused smile curves his mouth. “Sometimes she does things on her own hook. She gave Steve a red, white and blue cake once.”

[from_the_outside]

She laughs at that, and it lightens her whole expression.

"Why, for his birthday?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“Well, it is July 4th,” he points out.

[from_the_outside]

"So she gave him a red, white, and blue birthday cake?" she says, amused.

"Did a USO girl jump out of it?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He chuckles. “No, but I think there was a sparkler once.”

[from_the_outside]

"Cute," she says, grinning at him. "Very cute."

[nerves_of_ice]

He grins at her. “I thought so too.”

[from_the_outside]

It's so nice to see his grin; she moves again to sit against the tree and reaches for him, tugging lightly. "Come here," she says, inviting, and shifts so he can put his head on her lap if he wants.

"You must have a million good stories about that place. Tell me some?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He lets her coax him and stretches out beside her, his head on her leg.

“Okay,” he says. “Why don’t I start with telling you why I don’t like chocolate?”

There are a lot of stories… but they have time.