Video (Seelie & Hermione-Net Compass)

[starspangled]

For anyone who doesn't know me, my name's Steve Rogers. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet many of you at the feast. Things came up, but I at least wanted to introduce myself.

[For reasons, curiosity. Maybe he's a limited edition but he's definitely not one of a kind.]

I also wanted to talk about something else. Some of you might remember Sam Wilson - in fact, if you ever met him, I'm willing to bet that you do. Sam served two tours in the military, so he could definitely hold his own in a fight. But what he really loved to do was help people. My entire world had turned its back on me, and Sam took me in, made me bacon and eggs. That's the kind of friend I hope to be to anyone who'd call me one.

[Emphasis on 'anyone'.]

Sam's gone now, but he started working on something before he left. It's a clinic, he called it The Nest. There's some medicine and stuff there, but it was more than that. It was a place for people to come if they just needed to talk, or if they needed to rest. I never realized it before, but sometimes in a war people need that as much as they need bandaging up.

[Steve pauses there to take deep breath. Here comes the hard part.]

This is my friend's legacy, and I've tried to keep it afloat. The problem is, I don't know how. And it's hard for me to ask for help sometimes.

[He can barely even maintain eye contact. But the same thing keeps going through his head, fuels him on: for Sam.]

But if you have anything to offer...if you have medical knowledge or if you're just a good listener, even if you want somewhere else to stay. There's a place for you here.

I guess that's it. Again, welcome, and try to watch yourselves out there.

Comments

private

[starspangled]

I always love hearing from you, day or night.

private

[wipedclean]

Okay.

[He nods, scratches his head, nods again.]

Okay, I'll call. And I'll track you down when I show up to take care of the animals.

private

[starspangled]

Something wrong?

private

[wipedclean]

[He looks surprised.]

No. I just. I just miss you.

[And he's still not sure he fits in where he is, that he's doing what he should be doing. But he's not going to say that.]

private

[starspangled]

[Ah. He looked a little confused, so Steve wondered what he was confused about. But instead it's something he understands all too well.]

What do you miss most about me? Is it my cooking? My sense of humor? [Steve smirks.] It's my morning breath, isn't it?

private

[wipedclean]

[He looks a little bashful.]

It's everything.

private

[starspangled]

Buck...

[His name comes soft and unbidden. It's the honest little things like that that makes his heart swell in his chest.]

You know, I get crazy ideas sometimes.

private

[wipedclean]

[He snorts a little.]

Only sometimes?

private

[starspangled]

Oh, you know what, Barnes...

[Touche though. Steve smiles a little.]

There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Don't ever forget that. They can send me off to battle all they want, but it's you I'm thinking of.

private

[wipedclean]

Steve...

[He sighs, his heart aching in the way that he's come to associate with Steve.]

And that's crazy?

private

[starspangled]

You haven't seen the list. [The list of things that he would do.] There's some pretty crazy stuff on there. One of them invovles balloons.

[Because he sees Bucky hurting, he knows it on some instinctual level. He has to lighten the mood.]

private

[wipedclean]

[He does manage a small smile at that, and he ducks his head a little.]

Probably not a lot of places to get balloons around here.

private

[starspangled]

[He snorts.]

It's probably for the best. I'm not that flexible.

[Which is a damn lie.]

So look, I should probably tell you something. And I don't want you to worry.

private

[wipedclean]

[He immediately tenses, because if Steve needs to preface something with that, it's probably going to be pretty bad.]

What?

private

[starspangled]

Do you remember much about when I was skinny? Sick?

[And he's really not sure if it would be better or worse if he did.]

private

[wipedclean]

[He nods slowly.]

I... yes.

[His brow furrows a little.]

You weren't always sick.

[He thinks that Steve implying that he was is unfair. Wrong.]

private

[starspangled]

You're right, I wasn't always.

[At least not on the outside, though some of his conditions were always there. The threats of an asthma attack, fever, they were always there too. But he wasn't always bedfast - hell, he fought against it even when he was.

But he was always small and weak.]

It can happen here.

private

[wipedclean]

[He looks surprised, shocked even.]

How?

[Though he already knows the basic answer. His brow furrows.

Fucking magic.]

private

[starspangled]

It was something I asked for - sorta. [Steve adds with a wince.] I wanted to help make other people stronger, lend my strength. And I can. It just kinda borrows it from me.

private

[wipedclean]

[He sighs deeply, his shoulders slumping as he does.]

So you... shrink?

private

[starspangled]

That's one way of putting it.

[And it would be a correct way.]

I've only used it once to help a guy who was loading a wagon. And it's temporary. I just wanted you to know in case you ever saw me. I didn't want you to....panic or something.

private

[wipedclean]

[He nods slowly, worries his lip between his teeth. He doesn't like it, but it's something he has to get used to.]

Just... be careful.

[He's quiet, and he considers for a moment before he continues.]

I can turn into a bear now.

[Since they're sharing transformations or whatever.]

private

[starspangled]

You know me.

[Because he was always so careful at that size. His smile drops at Bucky's news.]

A bear? I bet that's- [There's a lot of ways to finish that sentence. Surprising. Intimidating. Amazing. All true and all words he considers before settling on one.]

Pretty cute, actually.

[Sorry you're always gonna be his Bucky bear.]

private

[wipedclean]

[He frowns a little.]

It's a big bear, it's not cute.

private

[starspangled]

No - no, I'm sure it's terrifying!

[Steve can tell that he's offended him. And he's telling the truth, a bear would be pretty crazy and terrifying to most people. But so would the Winter Soldier. Steve just has considerably less fear when it comes to Bucky.]

I still hope I get to see it.