Ever since the damn island decided to give Steve that trunk of his last week, Bucky's nightmares have been getting worse and worse, long forgotten memories dredged up from the ether to provide his subconscious with new fodder to exploit. Tonight he wakes with a start, a guttural scream tearing itself from his throat as the bloodied images of the men he's killed fade into the darkness of his unlit room. With Jason out 'til the small hours of the morning, though, undoubtedly to spend some quality time with his little blonde, Bucky's on his own; it's for the best.
His skin covered in a thin layer of sweat and his breaths labored, Bucky pads out of his room to get a glass of water to soothe his throat, his familiarity with the hut's layout such that it doesn't matter that half of him is still in that dream, because his feet know the way, even if his mind is necessarily elsewhere.
"What the--"
Similarly, when he's attacked from behind in his own frigging home in the dead of night, it doesn't matter that he hasn't been in a real fight
( ... )
It's the change in the air she feels first. Everything is warmer, suddenly, the air parting before her thicker, and Natalia waits for it, the sting of gas in her lungs, the burn of it in her eyes, but nothing comes.
Nothing but a deft pair of hands, and that's all wrong. They reach for her, find purchase - impossible, not these hired goons, these overfed, bloated thugs - and divert her, send her well over the head of the man she'd marked for her first blood of the evening.
Rage swells within her, but she doesn't let it out like she wants, won't waste the breath she needs for fighting on a scream, but in her heart Natalia promises them pain. Pain for surprising her, delaying her, for standing between her and something that might save James.
It's with an angry grunt only that she spins, long leg flying low this time to sweep the bastard's leg.
Bucky's on his back before he knows it, but he doesn't stay down for long, instead using the momentum to roll back on to his feet. The stance he adopts is low to the ground, and he charges forward at the intruder. His eyes haven't yet adjusted to the dark, but he's in no frame of mind to do anything but shoot first, and ask questions later.
Weight suggests she's female. The trick with the leg suggests she's trained. Question is: did she break in while I was sleeping... Or is she just the latest arrival to this little slice of hell? Wouldn't be the first time's someone shown up in my house in the middle of the night, but at least the Lafosse girl had manners.
With the aim of subduing rather than engaging further, he moves to grapple the woman; until he has a better idea of whether or not he's even the intended target, it's his best bet.
She's underestimated him yet again. That fall should have been enough to take his breath, but he's on his feet again, the sound of his feet moving lightly over the floor a little too faint to Natalia's ears. He'd been fat, she's sure of it, but this floor is all wrong, too. Not concrete, but wood, or something like it.
Everything is wrong, but Natalia doesn't have time to question it, not until this fool is back on the ground where he belongs and all his brothers like them. She moves away from the hand she feels displacing the air before her, catches it and pulls, propelling the body attached into something that shakes and rattles with the impact.
Even had Natalia not taken James at his word, and Natalia does, the enthusiasm of their reunion would have been more than enough to convince that he's been on this island as long as he says, and faithful
( ... )
The truth is, Bucky could fall asleep right now, and not be sorry for it. He's warm, but pleasantly so, sated for the first time in he can't remember -- a recurring theme for the evening. His right arm's draped around Natalia, holding her close for the novelty as much as anything else. When she speaks, however, he drowsily lifts his head, too, looking in the same direction, though there's not much to see.
"Jason Todd," he says, and not for the first time tonight, he's glad for the kid's penchant for sneaking out. "Teenage vigilante from another world. A bit... misguided at times, but a good kid."
The explanation is no less surprising, and Natalia draws up on an elbow to look at him. "James Barnes," she says, smiling faintly, "you took in a stray." It's not the first time she's seen him open his doors, but for the good of the many, not for a single, lonely teen. She's no stranger to James' surprises or his charm, but even so, Natalia finds this one particularly affecting, sweet, though she won't yet say so.
"But another world," she continues with a faint twist of her mouth. "What does that mean? You say this places draws many people, but from where?"
He doesn't blush, but it's a near-thing, his skin still flushed from the earlier exertion. Taking Jason in had seemed the right thing to do at the time, something Bucky thought Steve might have done in his stead. Better Jason live with some sort of supervision than on his own in a cave like a goddamn bat.
"Everywhere, far as anyone can tell," replies Bucky, and it's evident in his voice how much he doesn't like that as an answer, something so vague. The devil's in the details, especially in their line of work. "Different dimensions, universes. In his world, there's no Captain America, no Black Widow or Avengers, but there are other heroes... Villains. There are people here from the distant past and far-off future, but there's no rhyme or reason to any of it."
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His skin covered in a thin layer of sweat and his breaths labored, Bucky pads out of his room to get a glass of water to soothe his throat, his familiarity with the hut's layout such that it doesn't matter that half of him is still in that dream, because his feet know the way, even if his mind is necessarily elsewhere.
"What the--"
Similarly, when he's attacked from behind in his own frigging home in the dead of night, it doesn't matter that he hasn't been in a real fight ( ... )
Reply
Nothing but a deft pair of hands, and that's all wrong. They reach for her, find purchase - impossible, not these hired goons, these overfed, bloated thugs - and divert her, send her well over the head of the man she'd marked for her first blood of the evening.
Rage swells within her, but she doesn't let it out like she wants, won't waste the breath she needs for fighting on a scream, but in her heart Natalia promises them pain. Pain for surprising her, delaying her, for standing between her and something that might save James.
It's with an angry grunt only that she spins, long leg flying low this time to sweep the bastard's leg.
Reply
Weight suggests she's female. The trick with the leg suggests she's trained. Question is: did she break in while I was sleeping... Or is she just the latest arrival to this little slice of hell? Wouldn't be the first time's someone shown up in my house in the middle of the night, but at least the Lafosse girl had manners.
With the aim of subduing rather than engaging further, he moves to grapple the woman; until he has a better idea of whether or not he's even the intended target, it's his best bet.
Reply
Everything is wrong, but Natalia doesn't have time to question it, not until this fool is back on the ground where he belongs and all his brothers like them. She moves away from the hand she feels displacing the air before her, catches it and pulls, propelling the body attached into something that shakes and rattles with the impact.
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Reply
"Jason Todd," he says, and not for the first time tonight, he's glad for the kid's penchant for sneaking out. "Teenage vigilante from another world. A bit... misguided at times, but a good kid."
Reply
"But another world," she continues with a faint twist of her mouth. "What does that mean? You say this places draws many people, but from where?"
Reply
"Everywhere, far as anyone can tell," replies Bucky, and it's evident in his voice how much he doesn't like that as an answer, something so vague. The devil's in the details, especially in their line of work. "Different dimensions, universes. In his world, there's no Captain America, no Black Widow or Avengers, but there are other heroes... Villains. There are people here from the distant past and far-off future, but there's no rhyme or reason to any of it."
Reply
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