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[sinistral]

you know what to do

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[theladyofwinterfell]

Sansa considers herself a rational person and being upset about such an irrational thing worries at her until she cannot keep it to herself any longer. She isn't interested in turning people against Tony, necessarily, but she is hurt and she wants to express her hurt to someone who would never tell.

James is the person who would never tell.

She leaves the baby with Daenerys before finding him and while she rarely has to ask for the private audience, she makes a point of doing it now. Even on this crowded ship, there are places to be alone.

"Do you mind talking to someone all bruised up and battered?" Physically, from the fight during the rescue but in her heart a little, too, even if he doesn't know about that bit yet.

[sinistral]

The Soldier has a very good talent in finding places of solitude even in crowded environs. Part of it is his ability to keep to a strange schedule, awake when others typically sleep. Part of it is likely the resting murder face, as Loki once called his don't-fuck-with-me expression. That and the fact that he's always armed, and not afraid to let his hand rest on the hilt of his combat knives.

It usually gets the message across.

This particular day finds him working out; in particular, he's doing one-armed push ups and counting softly to himself with each repetition. He looks to the side when he hears Sansa's footfalls but doesn't stop until she speaks, letting his knees find the floor and pushing himself up to a kneeling position.

"That depends on if those bruises require attention." She certainly doesn't have his accelerated metabolism and heals much slower than he would; as such, he doesn't want her to avoid attention to injuries if she needs it. But he also trusts her to be honest with him about them.

[theladyofwinterfell]

"Ah, no, these will heal," Sansa says. They've already begun to knit up with some rest and she knows they'll heal clean. It's bad experiences that have taught her this, yes, but her body can heal even when other things cannot.

"It was something more personal - personal of mine, I mean. I wouldn't ask you to divulge anything but I need to divest myself of something that's hurting me and you're the only person I can trust not to say anything to anyone. You're the only one who knows me in and out and will understand my hurt. At least, I hope you will."

He might tell her she's being silly, true, but she trusts it more from the soldier than others.

[sinistral]

"If you are sure." She wouldn't under-exaggerate her injuries, not to him, so he'll allow it to drop. But in deference to her bruises he rolls to his feet and leads her to where they could sit more comfortably; he certainly can't expect her to join him on the floor, even though he knows she would.

Once they settle, he looks her over with a more critical eye while re-tying the tail holding his hair back from his face. "All this build up must mean it's bothering you more than you're letting on. You know I won't judge you."

Text

[wearingthestars]

Would you do me a favour if I asked nice enough? :)

[sinistral]

What do you need?

[wearingthestars]

I want to go to the 'Great Full' thing. But I think it'd be a lot more fun if you came with me. I promise I'll train extra hard, and magic you up anything you want, I just really want a friend there.

[sinistral]

[It's almost like Billy knew the Soldier planned to avoid it like the plague.]

Are you attempting to bribe me?

Happy Birthday~

[wearingthestars]

While Soldier's out a chocolate cupcake appears in his shelter, a candle with a flame spelled to flicker and shine despite the cold, the wet or the wind, until it's blown out by the birthday boy himself.

There's also a photograph (magically conjured somehow), showing a smiling Billy in a large and puffy coat. On the back he's scrawled-

It's real.
XX Billy.
Ps. Happy Birthday (more or less)
Make a wish <3

[sinistral]

That cupcake and candle sat for a good two hours while the Soldier went about his day, simple tasks and excercises within his small space. His daily routine, or what passed for it; instead of embarking on his run he sat for a long moment, considering the treat and the photograph. Interesting wording; in this place, with the Agrii, couldn't uttering a wish be dangerous?

"I want," he finally started, choosing each word carefully, "to share this treat with the person behind it."

[wearingthestars]

Billy (who definitely hadn't been spying) materialized in front of Soldier with a flash of blue light, and flashed him a teasing look.

"You're supposed to ask for some thing for yourself," he pretended to admonish, looking secretly glad for the choice. "I think I got the date kind of close," he added hopefully. Who could tell in this place, and he didn't know for sure if Solider and the Bucky from his world had the same birthday, but the sentiment was there regardless. "Happy Birthday, Soldier," he continued with a warm smile.

[sinistral]

"Why?" A wish should be the whim of the wisher, or so he would argue in an attempt at logic.

As for the date and the celebration, that felt trickier. "I guess so. I don't celebrate it." He'd stopped trying to calculate it back in the Fleet, and figured it didn't matter much anyway.

backdated to 12/25

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ Outside his home on Christmas morning, the soldier might find a package labeled "To my Pal, from Steve"

It contains a foot-tall statue of him, reloading a gun. It's made entirely of scrap metal and gears, and it's so detailed that he's very visibly exchanging the magazine, and there's lots of care given to choosing darker metals for the darker parts of his clothing. ]

about a week later

[sinistral]

[About a week later Steve will find a surprise of his own, two small packages wrapped in fabric, the edges carefully tucked or tied in lieu of tape.

The longer, narrow one contains a combat knife and sheath, used but well maintained. If Steve had noticed the knife the Soldier wore at the small of his back, he may recognize this one as that very same article. A commentary that the Soldier trusts Steve at his back, or just convenience? That question may go unanswered. In the package is a note: Your form needs work. Let me know when you're ready to practice.

The second package contains a notebook not unlike those used for bullet journals. If Steve opens it he'll find the first few pages contain a few newspaper clippings about Captain America, in various languages from the various countries through which the Soldier had fled in his leaving HYDRA. The clippings look several years old and some bear marks about the edges where tape was lifted from one page and transferred to the current page. The rest of the pages are blank.]

[pursuitofcappiness]

I received your gifts. Thank you. I'm sure the knife will come in handy around here, and

[ Around here, there's dots of ink where Steve's pressed harder trying to think of the right thing to say. ]

I appreciate the clippings. I

[ There's a big pause here. ]

hope you're doing well.

-Steve.

[sinistral]

[Are they leaving each other handwritten notes now? Yes. Yes they are. Dorks.

The reply itself is short and unsigned, but Steve will probably recognize the handwriting as matching the first note.]

You're welcome. You don't have to tiptoe. Figuratively or literally.

[wearingthestars]

Billy comes in without a word, just crawls into bed beside Soldier and huffs into the pillow, adopting his partner's propensity for silence when he's frustrated.

Just being near him is all ready making it all seem rather less serious than it had a moment ago, and he takes a slow breath, turning his head to take Soldier in and silently shifting in closer.

[sinistral]

Billy rarely entered his space without knocking or otherwise alerting the Soldier, but he could tell by the attitude and the quietly huffed breaths that he wasn't having the best night. He forced himself to relax, quietly waiting until Billy showed a sign that he wanted more than to just be present.

It came soon enough with that shifting and the Soldier put his arm around his companion, letting Billy snuggle all the way into his side. Billy could have all the time he needed.

[wearingthestars]

The quiet acceptance is gratefully received, and Billy snuggles in close. His fingers toy lightly with the ends of Soldier's hair in a sort of self soothing gesture, and after a few long minutes he mumbles a soft- "Sorry," for coming in without proper warning.

"This okay?"

[sinistral]

"It's okay." An answer both to the apology and the question, the Soldier blinking at his companion in the dim light of the room. Billy rarely came this close unannounced; something had to have upset him.

"Do you want to talk about it, or just lay here quietly?" He could do whichever one Billy felt he needed most.

Audio

[playingtough]

Hey, are you doing anything for Kaplan's birthday? Sending this message now that the beach is off limits because it's already gonna be in use that day

Audio

[sinistral]

We will not intrude on you. I prefer to keep things more private. I don't think the beach is a place Billy would like to go for that.

[playingtough]

Well the hot springs are open and secluded if you want to go there. No one ever goes in them from what I've been able to tell. If you wanted to do the relaxing spa time shit with him.

[in_extremis]

[way backdated do not look at me, around the week that Billy disappeared]

There is a neat package left at the Soldier's door. It's a waxy leaf wrapped around a stack of comic books, all of them classic issues of Captain America featuring his plucky sidekick, Bucky Barnes! This Bucky can't be any older than 14, though, and is wearing a cute little costume and mask. They all must be quite old, the paper thin and limited colour printing imperfectly aligned, but are incredibly well preserved if so. Except for a note inside the front cover of the top comic, quickly written along the bottom of an ad for a burgeoning magician's first extraordinary magic kit, reading, Billy has stacks of these back home.

[sinistral]

[time is completely fake anyway let's just live our best lives]

It's hard to know what to do with the package. Bring it inside certainly; the leaf wrapping is protective but not from serious weather. From there, unwrap it; no one would deliver something and expect it not to be opened.

It's complicated when he does though. Not for the comics; the Soldier is vaguely aware that propaganda material about Captain America existed. Not even for his own representation in it; what matter is fiction when he doesn't even remember the factual? No, it's the more that gives him most pause, the delivery of something Billy would presumably like. Or is it meant to be a memento?

No. He will not allow himself to think that way. Billy has not been gone for long.

A note therefore is attached to one of Tony's robots, when he runs across its path. Hopefully the folded paper will be delivered mostly intact. It reads, in painfully neat printing: I will inform you of his return when it happens.