imfollowinghim | twenty three ✪ video & text

Entry tags:

twenty three ✪ video & text

[Bucky's on deck, in the snow, wearing his Howling Commandos uniform and looking cold, but not miserably uncomfortable. His rifle's slung over one shoulder - you can see the strap - and he runs a hand through his hair briefly before speaking, shaking the snow out.]

You know, this is my fourth Christmas away from home. [And while there's definitely something kind of wistful in his expression and voice as he says it, he also doesn't seem especially broken up by it. This is more an observation than whining.] Three years ago I was in Africa, two years ago I was in London while we were putting together the Commandos, and last year, I was freezing my ass off in Bastogne.

[It comes out a little like a joke, but obviously it's not quite actually funny. You had to be there? Humor's the only way to really deal with some of this fucked up shit?]

Most everyone thought we'd whip the Germans in a couple weeks after D-Day, and we'd definitely be home by Christmas, but they broke out in the Ardennes on December 16th, caught everyone with their pants down. The 101st and a couple other units got cut off at this little Belgian town called Bastogne outnumbered five to one, with no supplies, no reinforcements, no way to get out. The Commandos were in the area anyway, so we snuck in to get them some stuff as an early Christmas present. Day after Christmas, the Third Army broke through the German line so more supplies could come in and the wounded could get evacuated, but the guys would've said they didn't need anyone coming to their rescue, and I kinda believe 'em.

I'd been through a lot of rough shit in the Army, but those guys were something else. Sitting in those foxholes, I was the coldest I've ever been, and I had gear that was designed to hold up to bad weather. They didn't, so they got trenchfoot and frostbite even if they were being careful. Hot food was a joke, the medics had to keep bottles of plasma shoved under their armpits to keep them from freezing...

[He trails off, expression caught somewhere between that same not-quite-amused look from before and just empty distance. It's not quite wistfulness, not by a long shot, but maybe something like it.]

It's nice to know that those guys won't be somewhere like that their next Christmas. Maybe they're even gonna get to be with their families. [And then Bucky just grimaces a little, mouth turning down in an unhappy frown.] The ones who got out anyway.

[Private to the Admiral]

Alright Admiral, I've never done this before (not even when I was a kid) so you're gonna have to bare with me.

- Steve: some really decent, high quality art supplies, stuff we'd never have been able to afford back home. One of the Cap war bond tour posters. I'd say his motorcycle, but no idea where he'd actually use it.
- Helena: Pictures of Sarah and Kira, either in a nice album or frames. Stroopwafels, and a dozen or so valomilks.
- Morgana: a dress you can go swing dancing in.
- Scott: a replica of Steve's shield and some new lacrosse balls since we've lost about a hundred of them throwing them around.
- Stiles: a combat knife and a paratrooper musette bag.
- Isaac: a new, practical scarf, gloves and a hat.
- Ben: new piano sheet music, something he's never played before.
- Lydia: a chemistry set.
- Kira: a record player and a couple swing records.
- Allison: a book about women warriors in history.
- Mason: some music from back home he'd like but doesn't have with him.
- Stephen & Mickey: books about the history of firearms. Make sure Mickey's has color photos and isn't boring as hell.
- Jean: some decent British tea.
- Babs: since it's declassified and all by now, an Enigma machine.
- Dillon: new roller skates.
- Luna: a microphone for the next time she does commentary.
- Ian: pictures of his brothers.
- Snafu: a bottle of decent bourbon and some cigarettes.
- Souji: some food he misses from back home.

And get everyone in boot camp a pack with basic medical supplies, emergency rations, stuff to start a fire and a D-Ration chocolate bar.

Oh, and get Steve a bottle of that calvados that French family gave him after we jumped into Normandy.

Thanks.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I remember thinking that I was never gonna complain about our apartment's heat going out again.

[Pause, then;] A lot of them did get home.

[And a lot of them didn't. But they both know that.]

And I remember the medics shoving plasma bottles down your shirt because you give off heat better than our furnace ever did. [The joke comes out wryly, although the weird, not quite sadness filters back in at the second comment.]

They all must be a million years old by now.

[And that's... gotta be weird for you. All your peers being ancient while you're still young and missed out on living the life you should've had, even if the new one's not so bad.]

Yeah, and those things were cold, too. [Not that he'd really minded. It had been some way to help out, even if it was a strange way to feel useful.]

Not a million. [He tries to sound teasingly annoyed, but... yeah. They might as well be. He just tries not to let it bother him.] I've run into a couple, you know. Some of them are still pretty sharp.

Things work out alright for most of 'em?

[As alright as they can be, anyway.]

Yeah - yeah, I got the impression it did.

[And that's what matters, right? When you can't have that life... it's nice to know someone else did.]

You know, my cabin's got heat that actually works.

[If you don't want to freeze up on deck.] Or I know this great onboard kitchen that makes a decent cuppa joe.

Gee, where is this wonderful place?

[He isn't going to say no to a cup of coffee or a working heater. c8]

Oh, it's a beautiful little cafe they call "The Mess," [he says, quoting a song you might be pretty familiar with.]

Although I've got some stuff I picked up in Amsterdam, if you're feeling classy. [He's got a coffee maker, not a percolator, but it'll pass muster, he figures.]

[Bucky laughs at the joke, and Steve, you are really giving him a lot of credit if you think he knows the difference between coffee made in a maker versus a percolator.]

I don't know, I'm a pretty classy guy, Rogers.

[Hey, have you ever had them side by side? There's a difference, he swears! Not a bad one, though.

Of course, he snorts at that.] Classy? Are you sure that's the right word for it?

You want a delivery? Or are you sick of freezing your ass off?

I can come down. Wasn't like I had my heart set on pretending I was back there.

[Because seriously.]

Then thank God the heat works in here. I'll put some coffee on.

Maybe there'll be some left for you if you shift it.

[Nevermind the fact that he offered you some in the first place.]

Hey, you offered! You'd better not go back on it, Rogers.

I'm not.

What if I'm just really thirsty?

Then you'd better make another pot.

I guess I can manage that.

[Said like you're asking him to do something SO HORRIBLY DIFFICULT.]

You want anything to eat with it? Since you're so classy. I bet I could find some tea biscuits for you.

[Sorry, he's just in a good mood. Bucky's okay and neither of them are actually freezing their asses off. He figures all those guys that didn't make it out... they'd be okay with the ones that did enjoying the comforts they couldn't.]

[A fire kindles a couple feet in front of him. Hard to tell from his angle, but if he moves, he might see that it's actually floating above the deck.]

You look cold.

[It catches Bucky's eye pretty quickly, and the suddenness of its arrival means that he's looking more for the spell caster than the effects of the spell - although once he realizes what's going on with it, he'll be impressed. When he spots Morgana, his smile is slow and easy ~~and he's only thinking about mistletoe a little bit okay don't judge~~.]

It's not so bad. [But, yeah, it is chilly up here.]

Thanks.

[It's totally chilly up here. She's got a fur lined cloak pulled around herself. She comes to a stop beside him, gazing idly at her conjured fire.]

It's the least I could do. I'm not sure I even want to know what trenchfoot is.

[Bucky chuckles.] I've been trying to teach everyone in boot camp how to avoid getting it, so hopefully you'll never have to deal with it. [Even though her magic means she's likely able to heal it all but instantly, so really, it could be worse.]

People had it pretty bad in Italy, too. I knew guys who got sent home, it got so bad.

Thank you for your service, Bucky.

[A very simple offering; but Kira's been raised to understand how important those words are. Even with the weight of the government's sins against her mother's people, Bucky (and Steve) were ultimately fighting for her freedom, and Kira wants him to know she appreciates that.]

I wasn't bringing it up digging for compliments. [He says it with a chuckle, sort of embarrassed and not sure what to do with it, because that's not why he was talking about this. He's thinking more about the other guys he fought with.]

They're the ones who did most of the hard work.

[He had it pretty easy with the Commandos, comparatively. There's a huge difference between what life had been like with the 107th and what it had been like after he'd been rescued from the HYDRA facility.

In more ways than one.

Still, it's nice to know people still care, so his smile's sort of embarrassed and appreciative under the bravado.]

But thanks.

[She shakes her head firmly.] It's not a compliment, it's thanks.

[She doesn't know how else to explain it, given her father's investment as a history teacher, and the respect she was raised with.]

I'd say the same to Steve.

Then, you're welcome. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[That's absolutely not a joke.]

I know you would. I hope if I'm ever called on, I'm up to it.

[She doesn't think she's that brave.]

The way you keep up in boot camp, I'd say you're in good shape. Nice to know they'd actually let you have a shot, I know a dame back home who had to put up with a lot of bullshit before they even let her get close to any action stateside, let alone in actual combat.

[Shyly,] That isn't precisely what I mean, but thank you.

[She doesn't think she's that brave, Bucky.]

You're welcome. Glad to have you around.

[ He'd been so wrapped up in his own issues lately: Whatever Mickey was doing, being away from his family for the holidays for the first time, his own mental problems. So at first, he'd thought this would be great. Old school military stuff! That would be totally cool.

But then it gets serious and by the time he actually replies, his face has already fallen. ]

...That really puts stuff into perspective.

Tell me about it, I've got dry socks and everything. [It comes out joking, trying to lighten it a little. He wasn't bringing it up to depress people, or make them feel shitty about the holiday. He's actually not really sure why he brought it up, but he did and here they are, so.]

Thanks for the coats and gloves, by the way.

[ He manages a small smile at the joke. But that's still some heavy stuff. But he could understand why it was brought up. It was important to remember stuff like that, wasn't it? But he was all too willing to shift topics. ]

Hey no problem. Half my family's stuff came with me, and it's not like I can fit into Carl's stuff.

How many brothers've you got?

Three--two younger, one older. Then I've also got one older sister and one younger.

Big family.

[Sometimes, he wonders if he'd have preferred that. Not that he'd trade Steve, obviously, but it might've come in handy, having some other people around to help look out for them.]

[ He canted his head slightly with a shrug. He was used to it. ]

That doesn't even count Frank and Monica--they're my parents, but Monica doesn't live with us. Frank sort of does, but we'd rather he didn't. And there's Sammi, she's our half sister, but we didn't know about her until a few months ago even though she's the oldest. And her son, so I've got a nephew, I guess. Oh, and Sheila, who's just from the neighborhood but she's kind of become part of the household after Fiona--she's my older sister--went to jail. Oh, and Mickey and Mandy. They're brother and sister, and they're over often enough they practically live there.

[ It's all said rather rapidly, with varied emotion reflecting his varying degrees of disgust, delight and indifference with each person. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

twenty three ✪ video & text

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

[spam]

[spam]

[spam]

[spam]

Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject