(closed) Return the favor

[trainwrecked]

Characters: Natasha Romanoff and Bucky Barnes; Rikki Barnes and Bucky Barnes; Jack Frost and Bucky Barnes, Kyle Rayner and Bucky Barnes
Date: Soonish
Location: Fire Sector, Natasha's suite.
Situation: Natasha's checked up on him a couple of weeks back; now he's doing the same for her.
Warnings/Rating: Possibly violence or the potential for it, probably language.

Steve told Bucky he sent Natasha to explore the underground. In his stead.

Which is fine, in its way, because if Steve thought her the right person for the job, then she probably was. But - she'd been pretty damn silent, after that. Not that he thinks that he could notice her if she doesn't want to be noticed, or that she'd be overly talkative after the last time they met - when she sought him out and he was a mess, and then he was almost more of a mess - but still. She came to him. Now it's time for him to come to her.

And if she doesn't let him in, he can hang out with Steve, right?

He doesn't even try to sneak up to her. Just shows up at her door and knocks. And brings take-out food.

Comments

[tendnottoweep]

Initially, there's no sign that anyone's actually home - no movement or sound from inside, no flicker of lights from behind drawn curtains. Natasha doesn't get a lot of visitors, and under the circumstances, she's a little paranoid about one showing up unannounced. When the door does open, rather abruptly, Natasha's standing with her body mostly shielded by the door, gun held down by her thigh.

Seeing Bucky outside surprises her, and she blinks at him for a moment before frowning and opening the door further. "James. Is everything alright?"

[trainwrecked]

Bucky's eyebrows rise at that opening of the door, though, after a moment's consideration, he supposes he shouldn't be surprised. From all that he knows about her.

"Sure."

He is looking significantly better than the last time they talked, too. Than some of the time in-between, too.

With a small smile, he lifts up the bag of food. "Coming to check if you are, actually."

[tendnottoweep]

She eyes him for another long moment, eyebrows raised in surprise at the consideration, and then her lips quirk in a tired smile as she inclines her head to invite him in. "You didn't have to do that."

[trainwrecked]

He considers that as he steps inside. "I think that's better than 'you should have avoided doing that,' really." Small shrug. "I think we all do a fair bit of things we don't have to. Hopefully, it's better when we do them, anyhow."

Yes, he's talking more than he needs to. Both to let her know that he's steadier, and because it lets him keep an eye on her without making it - scrutinizing.

[tendnottoweep]

Natasha shuts the door behind him, turning the lock automatically. She has to wonder a little if he has a reason to think she might not be alright, if Steve's told him anything... and if it would bother her if she did. Honestly, she's not sure.

"I suppose that's true." She leads the way to the couch, curls up with her legs underneath her, and gestures for him to join her. "The dinner's certainly appreciated. I've been a little distracted lately. Haven't really managed much grocery shopping..."

[trainwrecked]

Oh, oh, he can answer this one!

"Steve said you went down to explore." His voice, even though this is her place and probably under her security, lowers. "Didn't think you'd be this quiet if that'd gone well."

Too distracted for groceries... ah, hell.

"Busy times?"

[tendnottoweep]

"Something like that. The return trip wasn't as easy as I anticipated."

Translation: she spent a little time as a 'guest' of the Emperor. A lot more comfortable than plenty of other situations she's been in, intentionally or otherwise, but when all she wanted to do was start taking people apart until she found the person responsible for what happened to Clint... No, it wasn't pleasant.

Being back here in the city, free to act and not actually doing anything... That's worse.

"And since I got back... I've been worried about other things. Steve filled you in?"

For Rikki; forward dated to when Toro and Private Bucky show up

[trainwrecked]

After the two conversations he's seen - at least parts of - Bucky doesn't bother with the network. He just shrugs on a jacket and takes off to see Rikki in person. And if she's not home, well. He'll find her. Rooftops or ground-side.

[withoutaworld]

Rikki is on the rooftops, but not far from her suite, and hardly difficult to find. She hasn't even pulled on her full costume, just the boots and the gloves over loose kedan-style clothing, and she's staring down at the street without actually seeming to see anything below her.

[trainwrecked]

It still takes him maybe ten minutes to find her. Just to make sure he doesn't miss her somewhere.

When he does, he jogs over the rooftop to her, calling out lightly. "Hey. 's - Bucky."

The one who'd be looking for her, obviously.

[withoutaworld]

Rikki's head snaps up - she hadn't expected company up here, but she's a little surprised herself at how relieved she is to see him. She lifts a hand to wave him over, managing a tiny smile as she watches him. Well, at least one of them doesn't hate her.

"Hey. You looked at the network today?"

[trainwrecked]

"Yup."

He ambles over, then flops down sitting beside her, his feet dangling down. Yes, he's being a little extra ridiculous. She can probably use that.

"Seemed like you can use some aspirin, or at least some company that's not freaking out on you... for a change."

[withoutaworld]

"Yeah." She rubs a hand over her face and looks back down at the street, kicking her feet out absently. "I think I really screwed that up."

For Jack; after Kyle storms out post snow event!

[trainwrecked]

It was one of the things Bucky just did, when he got a chance.

Well. Now that he'd sobered up, at least, he was picking it up again. He went to hire the bike that he was pretty sure the kedan just kept for him, fueled up and bought some for the return trip, and sped off on one of the seldom-used roads towards the shell's edge. He was still not too comfortable with the mountains; the ocean, though? Even after the zombies, it helped clear his head some.

So he was that he wandered along the shore, still trying to think what it all - meant, when the chill in the air made him look up.

"Hello?"

[wintershepherd]

After Kyle had stormed out of his suite, Jack had flung himself from the window into the Wind's worried grasp, closed his eyes and bade go, please without a care as to the destination -- nowhere was far enough. But still it tried, carried him up high above the city until it rebounded against the barrier there only to reorient and send him shooting out away from Keeliai's sights and sounds, over the dry and uncultivated fields, through the mountains and out past the edge of the turtle's shell.

It almost lost him when it reached that barrier, felt the skinny body lose cohesion and Jack nearly wound up in the ocean a second time, whistling and huffing anxiously until the spirit opened his eyes.

"It's okay," he said. "You're trying, I know. Let's just go back to the shore."

And so there it was that Bucky found him, legs drawn tight to his chest on a rocky outcropping of the shell overlooking the water, barely raising his head at the sound of the soldier's voice and looking over at him though his blue eyes were dull and listless, a marked departure from their usual mischievous gleam.

[trainwrecked]

Whoa.

Bucky stared for a moment, then hurried over (careful in case there was ice, because... Jack Frost) and crouched by the boy.

"Hey, hey, kid. What happened?"

[wintershepherd]

Jack's arms merely tightened around his knees, head slipping forward so that his hood fell further down to obscure his features.

"Hi Bucky," he said, his words were just as morose as his expression. Hearing it in his own ears however, Jack made a visible -- though hardly believable -- effort to perk up a little.

"You're a long way outside the city. Sightseeing?"

[trainwrecked]

"Hey, don't try to put on a front on my account. I can take some unhappy, and bottling it up's probably not good for you any more than the next guy."

He settled by the spirit and shrugged. "I come out here to clear my head sometimes. Sounda the waves is pretty much the same everywhere and somethin' familiar is welcome, from time to time."

[wintershepherd]

Relieved of the obligation to put on a facade, Jack's face fell again and he leaned his cheek on one legging-clad knee so he could watch Bucky sit next to him.

"I didn't really pick this place," he said after a moment, looking back out over the ocean towards the unreachable horizon. "It was just that I couldn't go any farther."

For Kyle

[trainwrecked]

Bucky didn't hesitate to join up the additional work in Wood Sector when the call came out. It didn't sit well with the rationing, but he's done work on not much food, before, and this is probably actually necessary.

And it's easier not to overthink what he can't change if he's got something to do, anyway.

Easier, but not easy. Especially with what need to be mending, Bucky's general mood turns to morose, when he has tasks to do on his own.

[imaginate]

Mending. Mending is good, and mindless. Kyle's been working hard at his sections, doing what he can, trying not to scan anything with the ring. Once he's done what he can, he looks over the others, to see if he can put in some extra time and help them finish. It's not he had anything else to do.

He almost smiles at seeing a familiar face, but the moroseness rolls off Bucky in waves. 'You okay there?'

[trainwrecked]

Bucky looks up at Kyle's familiar voice, features easing somewhat when he focuses on the man.

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine. Lost in thought 'n all. You?"

[imaginate]

'Doing okay so far.' A beat. 'That's pretty lost. You up for that drink? I'll buy.' It was rationing and all, but Bucky really looked like he could use some downtime.

[trainwrecked]

"...sure. Lemme just finish this. Ten minutes?"

He's being more careful with booze, but with company? That's something else. And it's not like he's talked with Kyle all that much, recently. Pals gotta pal.

[imaginate]

'Sure. Want me to give you a hand and make it five minutes?'