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

[reconstitution]

[ He had enjoyed dancing with Wrath. Even though it went against his hatred for so many people crammed in one place, or the masks everyone wore, he enjoyed himself. It's not so different than it was seventy years ago, when James Barnes went to the dance hall every weekend with a new dame.

The music was good, fast, and loud. Everyone dressed in their Sunday best. Drinks are bountiful, and between rounds of dancing. Red stained lips. Hair curled and fastened, mussed from being flung around the dance floor. No matter who the dame attached to his arm was, he was always a proper gentleman.

Dancing with Wrath had been different. Gone is the charm, the easy smiles, the smooth flirtation. Looking back on it, though? He thinks he had more fun with her, even if they had to take it easy because of her back. Maybe in the future he can show her the dance moves he remembered. ]

I'd like that. I could show you.

[pain_train]

[Actually knowing that Winter had fun that night feels really good. And the rest that she catches is fascinating. There were dance clubs in Proles, of course, but never places she went to. It wasn't an environment she'd known how to deal with, too many people and too many flashing lights, too many strange smells in an enclosed space. Bars had always been easier, simpler, more of a transaction that served as a base reminder of being alive, or as some kind of petulant assertion that her body did belong to her in some small way.

Get drunk. Get really fucking drunk until you can almost hear your own thoughts, or the other things get drowned out, maybe. Find the biggest guy and pick a fight. Find the biggest guy and drag him into the back hallway for a quick fuck, and those bruises that get ground into your shoulder blades are markers of life. Your bruises.

Learning how to dance sounds a lot better than that. And it's another thing she gets to do because she wants to. Right? This is her wanting to do it. Dancing isn't mission critical.]

You've been a really good teacher for everything else so far. And--

[She stops because... what was that sound? Almost like a cat--a kitten?]

[reconstitution]

[ He can't imagine it was easy, living that sort of lifestyle. Needing to feel human and trying to find yourself in the arms of a stranger or at the bottom of a bottle of booze. Yet, he may be a little envious that she was able to do something like that. Maybe he could have before the war, if he'd been that kind of guy.

During the war, there were more important things to worry about. Not dying. Looking after your squad.. Living a few hours or a day at a time until it passed. After? Well. Only people got that luxury. Things are different now, but it's not for him. He's probably much better suited for being alone.

Wrath stops speaking, and he's on high alert. He hears something, too. It's a knee jerk reaction, going for the knife tucked in his boot. ]

It sounds close, whatever it is.

[pain_train]

[Wrath rises slowly to her feet, listening intensely. There it is again, and now she recognizes the sound, familiar and completely impossible.

She gestures to Winter, something that in her M. I. days would have read: hold ready, but who knows if it makes sense to him.

And she takes a step forward.]

Jellybean?

[And a calico tabby kitten comes trotting out of the underbrush, little tail held high.]

[reconstitution]

[ Bucky gets to his feet behind her, though he keeps his distance. He knows enough to recognize an order when it's given.

The cat comes out and Winter stares. It's just a cat. A very small cat, at that.

Jellyb-- oh. He knows about Jellybean. ]

[pain_train]

Jellybean!

[Wrath squats down--it's amazing, she can do this now, like it's nothing, and it's really anything--and holds out her hands to the kitten.

Jellybean bounds across the clearing and leaps into Wrath's arms.

Wrath snugs the kitten up against her, and a loud purr instantly emanates from the tiny animal.]

Winter, look! [She straightens and turns back toward him as Jellybean starts nipping her chin. It makes her laugh.]

[reconstitution]

[ It's really good seeing Wrath so happy. Having her cat is really important to her, and it's something genuinely positive happening for her after a laundry list of shit she's had to go through.

He puts the knife back and takes a few steps toward her, leaving space so he doesn't spook the kitten who hasn't noticed him yet. ]

Told you the tree was magic.

[pain_train]

[Wrath pets the frantically purring kitten, grinning all the while.]

It must be!

[Though she hopes that doesn't mean Maine is now all alone...]

Want to hold her?

[reconstitution]

[ There's no way to tell how time works while they're not home. Hell, he 'left' for three years and came back after he came to. Maybe Maine doesn't even notice. Maybe he does.

Bucky looks hesitant when the attention is put back on him. He's played around with Officer Snuggles a few times, but this kitten is so small he doesn't want to accidentally hurt her. ]

She's probably happier with you.

[pain_train]

[She recognizes that look. It's one Maine had on his face a lot. The I'm scared to hut something so tiny and cute look.

Wrath lifts Jellybean away from her chest and then carefully hooks her onto Winter's shirt.]

She really likes feeling tall and being up high.

[Jellybean is used to this drill.]

[reconstitution]

[ The slightly panicked expression stays, but he doesn't try to move the kitten. He brings his right hand up to keep the small ball of fluff in one spot. She's softer than he thought, and he brushes a finger against her coat. ]

Hey... Jellybean.

[ Don't move too fast, kitty. ]

[pain_train]

[Jellybean rewards Winter with a purr that seems disproportionately loud considering her body size. She butts her head against his chin.]

Aw, that means she likes you!

[reconstitution]

[ This cat is definitely loud. He can't even be mad at her as she makes herself comfortable. He keeps her up where she is, looking at Wrath. Jellybean is also unfairly soft. ]

I'm glad you were able to get something.

[ And it turns out, it's her cat. ]

[pain_train]

Thanks for telling me! It's so nice to see Jellybean. [She reaches out to pt the kitten, pleased that she seems to be getting along with Winter so well, too.] I just hope... Maine doesn't miss her. [That's a sad thought.]

[reconstitution]

I'm sure she missed you.

[ Hopefully, her partner doesn't even notice the displacement. ]

[pain_train]

I missed her too. [She leans in to give the kitten a little snuggle, trying not to intrude on Winter too much in the process. It makes her miss Maine keenly for a moment, but she's got to focus on what she has and who she has.] We'll have to see if we can find shrimp paste around here. She loves shrimp paste.

[reconstitution]

If we can find something close to shrimp, we can mix it with the protein paste?

[ Look, he's trying to be helpful with your kitty. ]

[pain_train]

That's a good idea. We could go to the beach and see what there is that she likes sniffing a lot. [Because hey, who wouldn't want to go to the beach with Winter anyway.] Oh. I better find a harness and leash for her too so she doesn't get lost.

Wanna help?