driftfleet | April System Mingle

Don't be ridiculous, you're not gonna walk around with pins, come on.

[ he leads him back to kara's office. he got a bunch of new clothes for himself, and he really doesn't mind the rock look so he can walk around in them until he has the time to whip up something new. ]

I just need to measure you real quick, and then you can pick out whatever you want from my closet and I'll alter it for you. [ grabbing the tape measure. ]

Are you sure?

[ he looks around himself, at the office filled with fabrics and needles and a - sewing machine. the kind his mother used to use to mend his own clothing, but newer. steve knows his way around a thread and a needle - enough to mend but not enough to sew. ]

I don't you to work too hard. We're kinda hoping I'll change back in a coupla days.

Taking things in is easy [ he waves it off ] and that way you'll have something ready if it ever happens again.

[ if he isn't around if it happens again. ]

Thanks, Winn, I really appreciate it. I've been hopin' it'll be a one-time thing.

[ this change. he takes off his jacket, folds it neatly and lays it on top of one of the chairs. ]

if there's anything I can do in return.

There's no reason not to, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared, right?

[ he gives his shoulder a little squeeze before he starts measuring, scribbling the numbers into a little notebook ]

I don't keep score with my friends, you're good. Besides, I got a bunch of new clothes, my closet could use some clearing up. [ cheerfully ]

Guess not.

[ he smiles a bit. he's being kind but not in a way that arises any objection on steve's part. he's so terribly used to being like this, to having to reject sympathy and pity.

he knew what he was doing when he called winn. ]

How do you like this stop?

[ winn knows what that feels like too well to do it to another person. he can't imagine how hard it is to go back to feeling like this after being rid of it for so long - but he does figure it sucks extra hard. ]

It's not half bad, [ as long as you stick to the nicer asteroids ] there's some good music and real food to stock up on -- okay - [ he stands back up ] I got your measurements, now just pick out what you like - [ leading him back to his room. don't worry, the embarrassing things are hidden in kitty's closet, the worst he's going to find here are, well, kitty's underwear. ]

Are you sure there isn't anything here you'd be needing?

[ he'll take a few shirts, long-sleeved and a few pairs of jeans. oh, and a jacket. he runs much colder these days. ]

I don't want you to be left without something.

I have plenty of clothes, it's fine.

[ he waves it off, and steve didn't pick his favorite shirt - the supergirl t-shirt, or the tourist crew t-shirt (which, why would he, he's not tourist crew, his name isn't winn, and he's not an engineer). everything else, barring his clothes from home and the presents he's gotten, doesn't really have any sentimental value. ]

I can get this done in like an hour, if you wanna hang out and keep me company.

I'd like that.

[ he takes a seat, looking at him as he works. he always knew winn could sew but he does appreciate the attention he's giving it. the look he has is the same steve imagines he gets when he draws. ]

How have you been?

[ he starts to work on one of the shirts, measuring carefully before getting to work. ]

Pretty good, [ he nods, he's never been one to complain to people, he's definitely not gonna start now with steve while he's glitched. ] keeping busy. How about you? Feeling okay? [ he remembers being short and skinny weren't the only things that came with steve's past form. he worries, okay. ]

Yeah, it's been good so far. Trying not to overdo it.

[ he doesn't really remember his limits anymore, it'll take a few days to learn them all over again. ]

I spent most of my life like this but I almost forgot what it used to feel like.

I know what you mean. [ another nod ] I mean, obviously not to your extent - I'm still just me with a workout plan - but when I got new memories it was really frustrating to remember what I used to be like. You know how I got my first crime fighting bruise? Not an alien, not a master villain, just some guy on the street.

Likewise.

[ he smiles ]

Picked a lot of fights in the days when I was like this, used to drive Bucky up the wall.

[ he's still driving bucky up the wall, especially now that he's like this again. ]

Good to know I'm on the right path.

[ he meets his eyes to offer a little grin there. he doesn't pick fights, he's just friends with people who pick fights. ]

I didn't know you guys went that far back too. [ he doesn't actually know anything about bucky, beyond that glitch. ]

Too?

[ he frowns for a moment. ]

Peggy - oh. Bucky and I know each other since we were kids. I knew him long before I've met Peg. A kid hit me on the playground and he came over to help, gave me a handkerchief for the bleeding. He's - family, always was. We were very good at getting each other out of trouble.

[ he smiles a bit. ]

he got enlisted before I did. He joined the 107 infantry, I went to Project Rebirth, that's how I met Peggy, during boot camp. Only took fifteen minutes for anyone with half a brain to be scared of her.

[ he smiles at the story. it's sweet, and the kind of protection he wishes he had when he was a child. ]

He sounds like a great guy.

[ he's still scared of him, though. ]

She kinda reminds me of Kara's sister.

He is. No one in this world is a better friend. Bucky always had my six.

[ still does, in his own way. ]

Alex. I remember. I think they would have gotten along swell.

Terrifyingly swell.

[ he says, with all the fondness in the world. ]

Terrifying would be right.

[ holy hell, two of them. that's an implosion waiting to happen. ]

How are your lessons going?

[ they would be sitting there, talking guns, and everyone would be so scared. ]

Really well, she picks things up really fast. And it's fun, getting to talk shop with someone.

That sounds like Peggy.

[ but he's glad for it. winn is nice and he's kind and peggy is fiercely supportive when she cares for someone, the combination is a good one, he always felt. ]

'm glad you guys have started with this project.

[ it really is. peggy's compliments always hit the mark in such a profound way that he feels like he's getting so much more out of these lessons than he's giving. ]

I'm glad you think so -- I...hope you still think so when I tell you she asked me to teach her to delete messages off your phone. [ he feels a little guilty over that, okay, it's steve's phone, it's a violation of privacy. and telling him is a violation of peggy's confidence, but from the way she spoke about it he kinda got the sense that steve was aware of the message so he'd notice that it's gone? and who else would have deleted it for her. they're both his friends and it's...it's been eating away at him, a little bit. ]

Let me guess.

[ the most dry but he's actually biting back on a smile. ]

One message that has to do with emoticons and marriage?

[ Peggy Carter, for the love of God. ]

I can neither confirm or deny that but if you check out your phone it'll be happy to -

[ as in yes, absolutely yes, and he's got so many questions. ]

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