Winter & Vision's (not so) Excellent Adventure

[reconstitution]

Who: Winter, Vision, & You
Broadcast: n/a
Action: Forest, planetside
When: July 9th

[ This thread is going to serve both as a canon update to post Captain America: Civil War for Winter and Vision, but also be used as a monthly catch-all with prompts. ]

[ It's been a few weeks since they've landed, so Winter's finally gotten over most of his initial uneasiness. Enough to finally venture into the forest for a hike and get the lay of the land. He's familiar with the beach and the markets, and he's heard things about the forest and a certain tree, so he needs to see for himself if the rumors are true.

It's relatively peaceful, and he hasn't come across anyone else yet. He's making his way around a fallen tree when an animal jumps out of a nearby bush and startles him. Winter stumbles back, and his immediate reaction is to reach out with his left hand to steady himself. Unfortunately it's still broken, so it doesn't cooperate like it's meant to. Which means that he trips and falls. Down a steep hill. Only having one functioning arm means he raises his right to shield his head until he can manage to slow down or run into something. Which is exactly what he does before his head smacks solidly against a hard surface. ]

[Meanwhile, the Vision is similarly engaged in heading toward the tree to investigate it. He’s heard you need someone’s hand to hold in order for the magic to work, but his curiosity has the better of him and he’d like to observe it in action first. A scuffle down below his flight path catches his attention, and he swoops into the forest to see what’s going on just in time to see Winter, of all people, taking a tumble down a steep hillside. He rushes over to try and intercept the man before he seriously hurts himself, and in his rush he miscalculates his own density and slams down hard enough that Winter smacks his head against the Vision instead of catching himself safely.

Oops.

The impact is enough to snap the Vision’s head back and hit it against the tree he’d been trying to prevent Winter from hitting. So now there are two enhanced individuals knocked out on the forest floor. How very impressive.]

Comments

[passingthrough]

Why? For things you did under mind control? Don't they know the circumstances?

[reconstitution]

It's more than that. Someone framed me for something to get me out of hiding.

[ He looks very uncomfortable before speaking again. ]

It doesn't help that Tony Stark either wants me dead or locked up with the key thrown away.

[passingthrough]

As in Tony Stark who is here now? Does the one here want you dead? [Because that could be a problem.]

[reconstitution]

Maybe not him. I don't know. He would if he knew.

[passingthrough]

You don't think he can be convinced you were framed? Maybe here if someone else talks to him like Steve? Or Vision?

[reconstitution]

It's not that. His grievance is more personal. More dated.

[ He smiles, though it's grim. ]

Steve talking to him won't help.

[passingthrough]

Then talk to Vision. [She's come to like Vision quite a bit. She has faith in him.] He's close to Tony, right? [His...son-ish?] I mean whatever it was, it wasn't when you were actually you, right?

[reconstitution]

I don't know that Vision will help with this one. We were on opposite sides.

[ Haaa. ]

Doesn't matter if I was or not.

[passingthrough]

Why wouldn't it matter? Are you hoping to be punished for something you didn't do? Alleviate some survivor's guilt?

[reconstitution]

Sorry. I wasn't clear. He doesn't care so much about the bombing I was accused of causing. Something else was more unforgivable. There's no denying I was responsible for that one.

[passingthrough]

It was something you chose that time?

[reconstitution]

Not exactly.

[passingthrough]

So, mind control? Accident? Mistake?

[reconstitution]

Still when I was the Winter Soldier. My actions have impacted someone else here.

[passingthrough]

Yeah. And that sucks. I'm just saying it's not your fault if it wasn't you.

[reconstitution]

Not sure he'll see it that way. I don't know. How do I even apologize? 'Sorry I killed your parents' can't go over very well.

[passingthrough]

[That gets a somewhat startled look from her. She assumed killing was probably involved based on what she'd heard, but parents? That strikes a cord with her. Both of hers were murdered too.]

...No.

It really wouldn't. [Her words aren't unkind though. She knows it's not his fault, but that still doesn't mean a son can so easily forgive it.] I don't know what would.

[reconstitution]

It will come out eventually..

[ He reaches to rub the side of his neck, eyes fixated on the tree in front of them. What the fuck does he do? Bucky doesn't have that moral compass like Steve.. But Steve apparently didn't tell him, either.

Does he keep it to himself until Stark remembers, or should he admit to it before? He shakes his head, looking briefly to Kitty for some sort of answer. ]

[passingthrough]

Probably. [But she's fresh out of answers. At least without a few more details and it doesn't feel like time to pepper him with more questions.]

I think this is the part where I clasp your shoulder or hold your hand because words aren't enough. [And she would normally just do that, but she's been down that road with him before and she knows touch isn't necessarily welcome.] What do you think?

[reconstitution]

[ It's true; words aren't enough. This is something that he'll have to stare in the face when it comes at him. Now, in the middle of the forest, isn't the best time.

Bucky sighs, his shoulder slumping. ]

Yeah-- you're right. [ A pause where he holds out his hand to her. ] Let's see if the rumors about this tree are real?

[passingthrough]

[She takes it and gives it a light squeeze.] They are. [She's already gotten her gift, but hey, if it wants to give out another she won't say no. And if it only gives one to him then it seems like he could use a win today.

Of course they both have enough bad memories in them to make anyone cry for a week so it might also be a trainwreck, but she thinks the support is more important. She's never been in his situation, but she still feels for him. Apocalypse brainwashed more than a few of his minions. That's not a life for anyone. Not that anyone was living the easy life back home.]

[reconstitution]

Are they? [ He's not really expecting to get anything from this giving tree. Bucky's heard of things being given, but he doesn't really believe it. Hell, if nothing comes of it after an hour, it isn't meant to be.

God, he hopes that he's not telegraphing anything to Kitty. None of his experiences old or new are anything he wants to impose on her. He thinks about the small, dingy apartment in Bucharest. With its newspapered windows, cramped bathroom, and noisy radiator. The bustling market two blocks away, where he haggled with the old woman who ran the fruit stand. She always gave him a deal. It wasn't much, but it was his.

Maybe it's enough that nothing else will get through. ]

[passingthrough]

I got a picture of my parents from it. [She does her best to focus on the glimpses she's getting from Winter as she says it because she doesn't want to share that particular loss. It's one thing to know they were murdered. It's another to see her standing there, frozen and afraid while it happens. She didn't even try to save them. Sure, she was just an untrained kid, scared of her powers, but she's never forgiven herself for it. Especially since they were there for her. Her parents were just in the way. Yeah, she's not doing a very good job of keeping that to herself.]

Plums, huh? [It wasn't much, but it was still more than he'd had in awhile. That's something.] I'm more of a peach girl.

[reconstitution]

[ Kitty can't be faulted for her inaction. It's difficult to act in the moment of something terrible. Muscles freeze, panic rises. It takes a lot, being trained to murder, to be accepting of its presence. Guilt twists things, events beyond control are somehow your fault. He knows better than most. ]

It's a nice thing for you to get in this place.

[ He looks at Kitty briefly, before his attention goes back to the tree. ]

They're full of antioxidants. [ Good for the brain and bones, the woman had told him. He needed all the help he could get, honestly. ]

[passingthrough]

It is. The prison gave me a video of them right before I landed here. Here's hoping I don't wake up somewhere new soon. [She wishes the video had made it with her. The picture probably won't either if she vanishes. Neither will Winn or Kurt or anyone else.]

Those are good. Don't want too many...oxidants.