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]

"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."