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 ]]

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[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.

[weirderthanthou]

"War's over, James," Jesse said. Also soft.

[shapethecentury]

To that, the best Bucky could do was an awkward shrug.

War never really ended, did it.

[weirderthanthou]

Hadn't it? As far as Jesse could tell, all he had to do right now was work on himself. "What did you have around before the war?" she settled on.

[shapethecentury]

Funny how being used as a weapon for all of the Cold War era could lead to internalizing some things that weren't actually happening out in the world anymore.

Bucky shrugged again, looking towards whatever knick-knacks happened to be in his line of sight. "Not much," he said. "Things from high school, probably? Or earlier."