20 August 2019 - Making Friends, Maybe - part 2
Title: Making Friends, Maybe - Part 2
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Captain America - The Winter Soldier
Characters: Buffy, Bucky, Dawn
Rating: Suitable for people over 13
Word Count:1332
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of Captain America - The Winter Soldier belong to Marvel, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: The next part of ”Making Friends, Maybe”.
Summary: Buffy was out on patrol and made a new friend - maybe.
Making Friends, Maybe - Part 2
By Beriaearwen
Dawn shot a look over Buffy's shoulder at the man sitting statue still at the small breakfast bar in their hotel suite. “Are you nuts!” she hissed. “Do you know who that is?”
Buffy looked completely unimpressed as she met her younger sister's eyes and spoke in a normal tone. “Pretty sure he can hear every word you're saying.” Feeling Dawn's hand tighten on her arm, she sighed. “And you're repeating yourself.”
The nonplussed look on her sister's face only lasted a moment before Dawn seemed to find her train of thought again. “It bears repeating,” she replied, straightening slightly. “Yes he needs help. I get it. I made the calls, but how do we know something we do won't trigger him tonight or tomorrow?”
“Dawn, I understand your concerns. I do. I had them myself, but bottom line...”
“He needs our help and we're giving it,” Dawn finished, deflating. “Fine. You're right.” She sent one more look at the back of the man in question. “I'm going to bed, wake me for the shopping.” Turning, she opened the door to her room and walked in, closing and locking the door behind her.
Buffy smiled fondly at the door before turning around and heading to the kitchenette. She went the singe-serve coffee maker and put a mug on it before pressing the appropriate button for hot water. Turning her head slightly she asked, “Tea?” When she received a blank stare in return, she nodded to herself. “Tea it is. Chamomile to be precise, good for relaxing.” Reaching for the tea bags, she got them and another mug ready. The first mug of water finished just as she finished so she moved the second cup into position and started that mug as well.
Turning, she leaned against the counter and watched the man across from her. He didn't move or react to her stare in any way. They stayed like that for the five minutes she normally steeped the tea before she handed one to Bucky and placed sugar and creamer in front of him, wishing she had some honey.
When he didn't move for about a minute, she pointed to the packets. “I wasn't sure what you liked in your tea, if anything. So, the sugar, because I'm pretty sure they didn't have artificial sweeteners widely available last time you had tea and creamer. You don't have to use either if you don't want or you can use whichever.” She took a sip of her tea and waited.
She'd consumed about a third of her cup when he finally made a move toward the sugar and placed it in his tea, using the spoon that had been left to stir it. Once the sugar was dissolved, he took a sip. His brow furrowed and his head tilted slightly. She'd seen him do this before, he was trying to remember something.
“Honey,” he said suddenly.
Buffy paused with the mug halfway to her lips. Was he calling her honey?
“We had this with honey,” he added a moment later.
The soft smile Buffy offered him was completely genuine. “I was just wishing for some honey myself,” she admitted. The duo drank their tea in companionable silence after that.
When they finished, Buffy took the mug from Bucky and led him away from the kitchenette. “I have no idea what's been done to you and if you need sleep, but I do,” she said. “So, why don't you take my room over there and I'll sleep out here. That way if you want to walk around or watch television or something it won't disturb either Dawn or I, and if you need me for anything I'll be right out here.”
Bucky didn't respond verbally or with any discernible expression. She also realized that he had only been responding to suggestions she made which could be interpreted as polite orders. That was not good, however, his responses and memories as they did those things continued to give her hope that they could help him recover.
Stepping into the room, she grabbed her pajamas and headed out to the other room. Bucky stood in the doorway watching her for several minutes. “Goodnight,” she encouraged with a smile. Nothing was said, but the door closed.
Changing quickly, she settled on the couch with a blanket, suspecting she wasn't going to get much sleep that night and making a note to herself to get him back to the main campus as soon as possible.
She'd been dozing for maybe two hours when she opened her eyes and found Bucky staring at her from the doorway of the room. “Need something?” she asked, her voice betraying her sleepiness.
He just stood there for another few minutes before stepping back and closing the door.
Buffy shrugged, turned slightly and fell back into her doze.
It was false dawn when she felt the change in the air, a threat that wasn't there before. Trusting her instincts, she pushed her feet against the arm of the couch and shot herself off the other side, tucking her head so she would land shoulders first and turn it into a roll so she could rise to her feet.
As she reached her fee, her right arm came up and she winced as it came into contact with the metal arm aimed at her head. She pushed against it, hoping that her bones hadn't fractured and moved to sweep Bucky's legs.
He avoided the leg sweep and came at her again.
The two continued on for several seconds before she started talking to him. At first saying his name sharply to try and break through the programming that was overriding his thoughts. When that didn't work, she started talking in a calm, clear, soothing voice, using his name and referencing the things they had done and mentioned.
Eventually he slowed his attack until he stopped, staring at her. She remained ready, but kept up her talk. She felt her shoulders relax as she saw his brow furrow, a familiar look which meant he was remembering.
“Buffy,” he stated after a few more minutes, body relaxing. Looking around the room, he said, “Sorry.”
Though there was no inflection in the voice, she smiled at him. “No harm done,” her eyes followed his to the shattered lamp and the broken coffee table. “Well, no harm to me,” she corrected with a smile.
“My sleep pattern is pretty damaged too,” Dawn stated from her newly opened door, glaring at the duo.
Buffy took in her stance and realized that Dawn was armed, but hiding the weapon so as not to trigger Bucky and to maintain a certain amount of surprise in case it was needed later. “Go back to bed,” Buffy encouraged. “Shops don't open until ten around here.”
Dawn grumbled under her breath, forgetting that Buffy could hear her and, from the slight quirk of Bucky's mouth, apparently she'd been right about his hearing as well.
Buffy sighed and met Bucky's eyes. With a shrug she said, “I tried my best after Mom died, but there's only so much I could do.” Her comment seemed to trigger further memories for Bucky and she sighed. “You going to try to get more sleep or do you want to go find some food?”
Bucky stared at her as if waiting for some sign as to what the correct answer would be and if there was a trick to the question.
Buffy felt her heart sink a little at how far they still had to go to return Bucky to a functional individual, but reminded herself that it was about small steps. “Well, I'm voting for food. I'll just change and we can go out.”
Bucky nodded and stepped to the side, standing at parade rest, obviously waiting for her.
As she reached the bedroom door, she glanced back over her shoulder. A long journey lay before them, but it would be worth it.
End.
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Captain America - The Winter Soldier
Characters: Buffy, Bucky, Dawn
Rating: Suitable for people over 13
Word Count:1332
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of Captain America - The Winter Soldier belong to Marvel, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: The next part of ”Making Friends, Maybe”.
Summary: Buffy was out on patrol and made a new friend - maybe.
Making Friends, Maybe - Part 2
By Beriaearwen
Dawn shot a look over Buffy's shoulder at the man sitting statue still at the small breakfast bar in their hotel suite. “Are you nuts!” she hissed. “Do you know who that is?”
Buffy looked completely unimpressed as she met her younger sister's eyes and spoke in a normal tone. “Pretty sure he can hear every word you're saying.” Feeling Dawn's hand tighten on her arm, she sighed. “And you're repeating yourself.”
The nonplussed look on her sister's face only lasted a moment before Dawn seemed to find her train of thought again. “It bears repeating,” she replied, straightening slightly. “Yes he needs help. I get it. I made the calls, but how do we know something we do won't trigger him tonight or tomorrow?”
“Dawn, I understand your concerns. I do. I had them myself, but bottom line...”
“He needs our help and we're giving it,” Dawn finished, deflating. “Fine. You're right.” She sent one more look at the back of the man in question. “I'm going to bed, wake me for the shopping.” Turning, she opened the door to her room and walked in, closing and locking the door behind her.
Buffy smiled fondly at the door before turning around and heading to the kitchenette. She went the singe-serve coffee maker and put a mug on it before pressing the appropriate button for hot water. Turning her head slightly she asked, “Tea?” When she received a blank stare in return, she nodded to herself. “Tea it is. Chamomile to be precise, good for relaxing.” Reaching for the tea bags, she got them and another mug ready. The first mug of water finished just as she finished so she moved the second cup into position and started that mug as well.
Turning, she leaned against the counter and watched the man across from her. He didn't move or react to her stare in any way. They stayed like that for the five minutes she normally steeped the tea before she handed one to Bucky and placed sugar and creamer in front of him, wishing she had some honey.
When he didn't move for about a minute, she pointed to the packets. “I wasn't sure what you liked in your tea, if anything. So, the sugar, because I'm pretty sure they didn't have artificial sweeteners widely available last time you had tea and creamer. You don't have to use either if you don't want or you can use whichever.” She took a sip of her tea and waited.
She'd consumed about a third of her cup when he finally made a move toward the sugar and placed it in his tea, using the spoon that had been left to stir it. Once the sugar was dissolved, he took a sip. His brow furrowed and his head tilted slightly. She'd seen him do this before, he was trying to remember something.
“Honey,” he said suddenly.
Buffy paused with the mug halfway to her lips. Was he calling her honey?
“We had this with honey,” he added a moment later.
The soft smile Buffy offered him was completely genuine. “I was just wishing for some honey myself,” she admitted. The duo drank their tea in companionable silence after that.
When they finished, Buffy took the mug from Bucky and led him away from the kitchenette. “I have no idea what's been done to you and if you need sleep, but I do,” she said. “So, why don't you take my room over there and I'll sleep out here. That way if you want to walk around or watch television or something it won't disturb either Dawn or I, and if you need me for anything I'll be right out here.”
Bucky didn't respond verbally or with any discernible expression. She also realized that he had only been responding to suggestions she made which could be interpreted as polite orders. That was not good, however, his responses and memories as they did those things continued to give her hope that they could help him recover.
Stepping into the room, she grabbed her pajamas and headed out to the other room. Bucky stood in the doorway watching her for several minutes. “Goodnight,” she encouraged with a smile. Nothing was said, but the door closed.
Changing quickly, she settled on the couch with a blanket, suspecting she wasn't going to get much sleep that night and making a note to herself to get him back to the main campus as soon as possible.
She'd been dozing for maybe two hours when she opened her eyes and found Bucky staring at her from the doorway of the room. “Need something?” she asked, her voice betraying her sleepiness.
He just stood there for another few minutes before stepping back and closing the door.
Buffy shrugged, turned slightly and fell back into her doze.
It was false dawn when she felt the change in the air, a threat that wasn't there before. Trusting her instincts, she pushed her feet against the arm of the couch and shot herself off the other side, tucking her head so she would land shoulders first and turn it into a roll so she could rise to her feet.
As she reached her fee, her right arm came up and she winced as it came into contact with the metal arm aimed at her head. She pushed against it, hoping that her bones hadn't fractured and moved to sweep Bucky's legs.
He avoided the leg sweep and came at her again.
The two continued on for several seconds before she started talking to him. At first saying his name sharply to try and break through the programming that was overriding his thoughts. When that didn't work, she started talking in a calm, clear, soothing voice, using his name and referencing the things they had done and mentioned.
Eventually he slowed his attack until he stopped, staring at her. She remained ready, but kept up her talk. She felt her shoulders relax as she saw his brow furrow, a familiar look which meant he was remembering.
“Buffy,” he stated after a few more minutes, body relaxing. Looking around the room, he said, “Sorry.”
Though there was no inflection in the voice, she smiled at him. “No harm done,” her eyes followed his to the shattered lamp and the broken coffee table. “Well, no harm to me,” she corrected with a smile.
“My sleep pattern is pretty damaged too,” Dawn stated from her newly opened door, glaring at the duo.
Buffy took in her stance and realized that Dawn was armed, but hiding the weapon so as not to trigger Bucky and to maintain a certain amount of surprise in case it was needed later. “Go back to bed,” Buffy encouraged. “Shops don't open until ten around here.”
Dawn grumbled under her breath, forgetting that Buffy could hear her and, from the slight quirk of Bucky's mouth, apparently she'd been right about his hearing as well.
Buffy sighed and met Bucky's eyes. With a shrug she said, “I tried my best after Mom died, but there's only so much I could do.” Her comment seemed to trigger further memories for Bucky and she sighed. “You going to try to get more sleep or do you want to go find some food?”
Bucky stared at her as if waiting for some sign as to what the correct answer would be and if there was a trick to the question.
Buffy felt her heart sink a little at how far they still had to go to return Bucky to a functional individual, but reminded herself that it was about small steps. “Well, I'm voting for food. I'll just change and we can go out.”
Bucky nodded and stepped to the side, standing at parade rest, obviously waiting for her.
As she reached the bedroom door, she glanced back over her shoulder. A long journey lay before them, but it would be worth it.
End.