[AU] protector and patron

[from_the_outside]

I'm going to protect you, no matter what.

That's what she'd said to Bucky just before they left Virginia for the Avengers compound, forced into compliance by Tony Stark. She can still see his wry smile, can hear the way he'd called her his guardian angel.

Well, she'd meant it. She'd meant every damn word, including the ones she'd spat at Tony in the form of qualifications. If I think for even a second that you mean to harm him, we leave, she'd said. And there's absolutely no question in her mind that Tony does intend harm.

Maybe not the physical kind. But if he's been edging his way into the room's security, up to and including searching it, then that is pretty fucking harmful and she's got a signed contract, negotiated between the Avengers and their representatives and the United Nations Joint Terrorism Task Force, that says she can make good on the verbal agreement they'd made what already feels like a lifetime ago.

God, she hopes he argues. She would love to have the chance to throw the Task Force lawyers in his face.

It's actually a closer to eight hours after Nat's call that the Quinjet settles on a landing pad outside, but Sharon is no less furious about the whole situation for having another hundred and twenty minutes or so to stew over it. 

"Morning," she says to a gaping Happy Hogan as she breezes through the entranceway. "Please tell your boss I'd like to see him at his earliest convenience. I'll be in the apartment, dismantling the incursions he's been making into my security system. Sound good? Great."

She doesn't break stride for even a second.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"For the moment, anyway."

She grins at him. "I can let you get up, if you want."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Not unless you do.”

[from_the_outside]

"No."

She sets her cheek back down against his chest and huffs out a sigh, closing her eyes.

"Not yet."

[nerves_of_ice]

He keeps running his hand up and down her back, slow and even.

“As long as you want.”

[from_the_outside]

"Careful saying things like that," she tells him, but it's drowsy.

It's been a long day and his hand running up and down her back is so soothing and the clearing around them so calm. He's not the only one who could use a little downtime.

[nerves_of_ice]

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.”

Low and steady.

[from_the_outside]

"I know."

She runs her own hand slowly up and down his side, thumb smoothing over his ribs. "You're always honest with me."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods.

“Thank you. For coming back.”

[from_the_outside]

"I couldn't have stayed away."

Not with that call. Not with what Nat told her. She lifts her head and props her chin back on her forearm, watching him.

"I'm just sorry I couldn't get back sooner."

[nerves_of_ice]

This time he shakes his head, very slightly. “You’ve had a lot to deal with.”

[from_the_outside]

"Yeah," she agrees. "But I still wish I could have come back before things got so bad. I didn't want to go at all."

She grimaces a little and slides up and to the side to prop her head on her palm and look down at his face. "Tony probably wouldn't have pushed so far if I'd still been there."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I know you didn’t.”

Slow and steady, he keeps petting her back.

“Tony’s going to keep pushing.”

[from_the_outside]

Her mouth thins into a wry line.

"Yeah. I think you're right."

And she's honestly got no idea what to do about it, aside from try to throw up as many walls as she can.

[nerves_of_ice]

“You can’t always be there. It’s okay,” he tells her. “It’ll be okay.”

[from_the_outside]

Her jaw sets, stubborn.

"Maybe I can't," she admits. "But that's all the more reason to try and find a way to get him to stop."

[nerves_of_ice]

“We will. Or to switch gears. Something.”

His tone doesn’t shift, even when he says, “I don’t think it’s a good idea to give him the manual, though.”

[from_the_outside]

"That would definitely not be a good idea," she says, a little grim.

"I don't want him anywhere near it. I'd rather destroy the thing completely than chance it."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Maybe I should.”

For some reason, he sounds reluctant.

[from_the_outside]

She's silent for a moment, her hand flat on his stomach.

"Why haven't you?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“It’s the only record I have of how they did what they did to me.”

He says it very, very quietly, barely audible above the sound of the water.

“I don’t know if it can be reversed. Or undone. Or… whatever. But I don’t know where else to start looking.”

[from_the_outside]

She nods, and lets her hand drift lightly over his stomach, drawing loose patterns.

"Then we'll keep it," she tells him. "And we'll keep it away from Tony. We'll find a way."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I don’t know why he wants it, anyway. But I don’t trust it.”

He sighs, long and deep.

“Maybe Vision would know. Steve can’t, or he’d have said something.”

[from_the_outside]

"Do you think Tony's been talking to Vision about it at all?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He shakes his head.

“But Vision’s got some insight into him.”

[from_the_outside]

She nods.

"Okay. So we can talk to Vision when we go back. Or you can." She smiles, a little. "It seems like you've struck up quite a rapport."