★ 2 ★

[stillgotmyleftarm]

WHO: Adult!Bucky!Cap and you?
WHERE: Around this snowy planet they're on.
WHAT: It's tough to be an adult when your best-friend-slash-boyfriend is not. Or, come to think of it, most of the people you know...
WHEN: Anytime during the Us Make For They event~
WARNINGS: Just Bucky-appropriate swearing, I think?

Bucky knew better than to just shove the first - or fifth - thing he came across in the village into his mouth. And once he saw the effect it was having on others... well, he doubly knew better. Which means, of course, now he is one of only a few adults in a sea of super-powered and/or hyperactive children. It... kinda feels like old times, except during actual old times, Steve was a lot easier to keep up with.

Either way - Bucky's got experience. He can be found doing his best to chase down kids and make sure they're dressed warmly enough, not getting into too much trouble, and getting enough non-candy items to eat. Once the candles appear and start multiplying, he might start hoarding the ones he can get his hands on - some of which turn out to be power crystals, so hey. There's that. His bunk on the Bloodsport - which is where he goes to catch catnaps, few and far between though they might be (thank God for being a super soldier) - has started to accumulate what looks like a year's worth of candles and power crystals on, around, and underneath it. Look, you can never have too many supplies.

After a day or two, he decides he's calling in reinforcements over the network:

Adults, sound off. We should each try taking a couple of kids apiece, based on who's got the resources to manage which powers or abilities or whatever. If we split up the responsibility, I think we've got the best chance at keeping everything under control.

I call Steve. And anyone else no one wants to handle, I guess.

He also shoots his beardy, metal-armed counterpart a text after he discovers the sweaters their hosts left for them: Hey. I think we're supposed to share. You want first dibs?

Comments

text

[theladyofwinterfell]

Captain Barnes, are you worn out by a few children? I would be delighted to help, even with Steve. I can imagine even you have to sleep at some point.

Re: text

[stillgotmyleftarm]

Hey, I've got plenty of practice keeping kids in line.

But if you're looking to get in some practice...

Steve counts as, like, ten kids. At least. I'm warning you now.

[theladyofwinterfell]

Then I shall have ten times the practice, won't I? I'll share the burden. I like children, after all, and it won't b so long before I have a little one of my own to take care of. Should we try to gather them up somewhere?

[stillgotmyleftarm]

Ten times, at least.

[Even without that, though, Bucky thinks she'll be an amazing mom.]

Yeah, I think we should try to at least figure out who's a kid and where they are. Then we can break them into smaller groups, see who gets along with who. A bunch of kids fighting is definitely not what we want.

I know it's probably rude to ask, but - you're up for this?

[theladyofwinterfell]

I'm not so far along that I'm exhausted, I do believe I can help. At least for a little while so you get a break from it. It's unfair for you to share the burden alone, Captain Barnes.

[stillgotmyleftarm]

Okay. Sorry to ask, it's just been a long time since I was around someone in your particular situation.

I am gonna point out that one of us is a super soldier, though. I probably still need less sleep than you.

But I'll take the help. We've also got to feed these kids and make sure they have enough warm clothes.

[theladyofwinterfell]

Luckily for you, I grew up in a place that has snow on the ground all the time. I know about keeping warm, Captain Barnes, and I will have no difficulty dressing our new children.

How does it feel to be a parent?

[stillgotmyleftarm]

Good. Then you're definitely in charge of that.

Never been one, myself. But I had younger sisters. And I had Steve. I remember a lotta worry. A lotta... knowing they might have to hate you now, so they could be around to do it later, you know?

[theladyofwinterfell]

I was an older sister to one sister and two brothers. I think I can figure it out - though my sister was horrible to me as a child. I'm sure Steve will be kinder.

[stillgotmyleftarm]

Well, if it's any consolation, I don't think Steve could really be horrible if he tried.

Difficult, yeah. But not horrible.

[theladyofwinterfell]

He wouldn't be Steve if he didn't have his big heart, I don't think. I think it must be his defining quality. Steve is...he is the sort of man I didn't think existed any longer. You are too, at that.

[stillgotmyleftarm]

No, he wouldn't. You're right about that.

Although, my dear lady, you're gonna make me blush.

[But really:] Any good in me... he helped put it there. You can't have a friend like Steve and not try to be a little like him - only smarter about it, admittedly. Not that it's hard.

[theladyofwinterfell]

Do you mind if I ask you a personal question, Captain Barnes?

[stillgotmyleftarm]

Yeah, sure you can.

[He doesn't love personal questions, but Sansa is not a reporter, and he genuinely likes her and doesn't think she'd twist anything he said the wrong way.]

[theladyofwinterfell]

I want to name my son James. I'm sure it must be a boy. I miss him so much...and I don't know what sort of life he went to or if he'll even remember me. I just didn't want to offend you by choosing that name.

[stillgotmyleftarm]

[It maybe takes a moment or two to get a message back - but not for any reason other than he's kind of really touched she would even ask.]

Sansa, you could never offend me over something like that. I swear to God.

[Then, because he needs a little levity:] If he goes by James, then at least we won't get all mixed up.

[But no, really:] I couldn't think of a better way to honor somebody.

[theladyofwinterfell]

( Sansa laughs in utter relief. She'd really wanted to use the name to honor her friend but she hadn't wanted to offend his...other self? There's no good word for it. )

I am honored you will allow me the use of your name and I hope you will come see my son often when he is born. Steve as well.

[stillgotmyleftarm]

I shouldn't tell you James is a real popular name where I'm from, should I.

[But he's smiling, on his end, even if she can't see it. It doesn't matter if it's a common name. The reason she wants to name her child that isn't any less special, because of it.]

I would love that. In fact, this is me volunteering for babysitting duty. Whenever you want.

[theladyofwinterfell]

Well, Sansa is common enough where I’m from but if you chose to name a child after me, I would know the true meaning. As to babysitting? I will take you up on that. I may want the escape.

[stillgotmyleftarm]

I guess that's true.

And for what it's worth, I think your name is very pretty. It'd be a good name for a girl, although I don't think Steve and I are gonna be having any of either kind. [Considering that's not. Exactly possible.]

But you might want to keep that escape route open. I'm definitely your guy.

[theladyofwinterfell]

I know I was standoffish to you at first and I'm sorry. I just loved him with my whole heart and it was hard for me to see his face on someone else. Please know I don't feel the same way now that I know you.

[stillgotmyleftarm]

Sansa, really - I get it. I promise. When I first got to the Drift Fleet, I walked into a bar and say my dead best friend getting drunk there. Who wasn't actually my dead best friend. Who wasn't actually dead.

It was a really weird adjustment. It's hard to see the same face on someone else. Even if your brain knows the difference, your gut doesn't always listen.

[theladyofwinterfell]

I loved him. But you're part of him too - the closest thing I can have of him - so I want that. I've been trying to be your friend too even if it's different. I hope I've done well at it.

[stillgotmyleftarm]

You've done well at it. I promise. I know I'm not entirely him, and I can't replace him - and I wouldn't try. But I want to be your friend, too, Sansa.

[theladyofwinterfell]

( It takes a while for another message to come because Sansa has lost composure and she hates when she does this. She doesn't often - she's a Winter Queen for a reason - but she'd loved Bucky as much as Jon or Robb. )

I miss him so very much. I don't give...I used to not give away pieces of my heart any longer because it was dangerous. It was easier not to feel. He had mine, though, in the very palm of his hand. He saw...during the calibrations, he saw things that happened to me, unspeakable things my husband doesn't even know in detail, and he never judged me for them. He told me I still had value when my dignity was stripped from me by force. No one will ever understand me the way he did, how it feels to be used. I know that you have his heart in you, that you're a part of him. That's the only reason I've told you. He thought he wasn't worth love but he was.