The Isle of IKEA, Wednesday Morning

[weirderthanthou]

James's apartment had been largely abandoned for years, and he hadn't exactly made it homey before he left. So there was really only one solution, at least as far as a girl like Jesse went: a trip to IKEA, to at least get him some plants.

And furniture.

And weird little things. (She loved the weird little things.)

Being the disgustingly early riser that she was, it was probably no surprise that they turned up early, walking onto the premises of the island and its massive Swedish monolith a few minutes before opening time. "I always wonder who exactly shops here," she mused. "I think there's actually a special Portalocity station assigned to just the isle?"

[[ for him ]]

Comments

[shapethecentury]

Bucky shrugged. "I don't know what your parameters are."

Was he trying to faintly joke to make up for not being relaxed enough? Maybe.

[weirderthanthou]

"I think I have a hard time picturing you tripping any of my parameters in an IKEA," Jesse said.

[shapethecentury]

"You never know."

He tried for a little smile.

[weirderthanthou]

Jesse huffed out a soft laugh. "I guess a supervillain could always break into the store, or something, but..."

[shapethecentury]

"See, like I said," Bucky replied, "just because something's unlikely, doesn't mean it couldn't still happen."

[weirderthanthou]

"At least there's plenty of couches available in case of emergency," Jesse said brightly.

[shapethecentury]

Bucky gave one of those very soft huffs of his. "Yeah," he agreed. "That's the spirit."

He was hilarous, considering he was way more in need of getting into the spirit of things.

[weirderthanthou]

Jesse rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Let's go find one of the uncomfortable ones and maybe you'll be able to tell the difference," she said.

[shapethecentury]

"That's putting a lot of faith into my backside," Bucky joked, as he went to push himself back up again.

Somewhat obediently, for lack of a better word.

[weirderthanthou]

It's a nice backside.

Did I just think that?

Jesse pushed up to her feet, sticking her hands into her pockets. "I'm a hopeful person."

What IS a nice backside, anyway? What about a--

[shapethecentury]

"It's a good quality," Bucky said, looking around again. For the next couch, probably. "So there's that."

[weirderthanthou]

"I'm sure the Swedes are really proud," Jesse teased, walking into the next fake living room. It was pretty light shades of yellow.

[shapethecentury]

"Oh, they're the ones making you hopeful?" Bucky teased back, in his understated way, as he followed her. "Good to know."

[weirderthanthou]

Aw, hell. Now she was a little flustered, because Jesse was pretty sure she'd tripped up that joke. "... Because of the couches," she explained lamely. "Not your, uh. Backside."

This was fine!

[shapethecentury]

Meanwhile, Bucky glanced over, a little surprised - and saw she was a little flustered, and...

"I just thought being hopeful is more... intrinsic to you than that," he explained in turn.

Gently, was maybe the word for it.

"Because you're a hopeful person. Swedes don't get credit for that."

[weirderthanthou]

"Most people would just call me stubborn," Jesse said. If she sounded a little croaky, well, she was recovering.

[shapethecentury]

"They're not mutually exclusive," Bucky replied, a little wryly.

And, after a second of hesitation, gave her shoulder a very gentle little bump with his.

[weirderthanthou]

Jesse bumped him back, a little wry.

"Soooo," she said. "You already have a couch."

Smooth.

[shapethecentury]

"Yeah," Bucky agreed easily enough, "I do. Place isn't as sparse as you're making it out to be."

[weirderthanthou]

"So what should we look out for?" Jesse asked. "Cabinets? Chairs? A nice rug? Pictures?"

[shapethecentury]

"Thought you were the expert," Bucky replied, mostly joking. He stuck his hand in his pocket as he looked around, considering it. Then shrugged. "But maybe a cabinet?"

Rugs would probably make sense and be good, too, but he wasn't going to get to that thought on his own.

(Pictures? No.)

[weirderthanthou]

The rug section was all the way at the end, anyway. They'd have time!

"You could actually put stuff somewhere," Jesse teased, "... and get stuff to put there."

[shapethecentury]

"Is it worth getting stuff just to put it somewhere?"

You know, just wondering.

[weirderthanthou]

"You've never owned things and kept them around the house just because they make you happy?" Jesse asked.

[shapethecentury]

"Last time I owned more stuff than could fit in a backpack was before the war," Bucky pointed out.

Maybe a little softer. But it was what it was.