[ The flurry of mental activity in the early morning had started Steve awake, it was far later than usual when he finally dragged himself out of bed. Jessica's empty presence aches more and more each day, another missing limb. Ares puts the number of Hosts in a coma at three. How long before they ended up back in the Nesting Deck chambers? The thought of their bodies hooked up to tubes, sleeping for God knows how long makes his skin crawl.
But it's not the only distraction on his mind.
A day isn't long enough for Bucky's arrival to settle in his mind. His memory holds parts of their conversation with sharp clarity, erratic sensory input and spoken words haphazardly pieced together. He'd reject all of it if he could, but no version of him can hear that story and accuse Bucky of being a liar. No version of him could hear and see all that, and feel anything but horror and grief.
(he's eighteen again, walking home from his mother's funeral)
It's later in the day when he finally notices Bucky's absence. Doesn't worry him at first - he'd seemed, of all things, interested in the mission. Steve had been trying to do the same thing, walking the nicer districts this time and getting one of those tech tours. But hours pass and there's still no sign of him at the Bearings, his room looking like it was left in a hurry.
A train brings him to the same platform he'd exited with Lexa a few days ago, following a faint trail. For better or worse Steve's understanding of his mental abilities have increased slightly ever since the day he decided to wander through the roots of his Brood. At a distance it's not easy to hold, but he can follow the link as he walks through the streets of Subspace. Keeps his head down - might've been a good idea to bring someone else with him. A trio of young men size him up as he passes a boarded up building. ]
LATE DAY 006
But it's not the only distraction on his mind.
A day isn't long enough for Bucky's arrival to settle in his mind. His memory holds parts of their conversation with sharp clarity, erratic sensory input and spoken words haphazardly pieced together. He'd reject all of it if he could, but no version of him can hear that story and accuse Bucky of being a liar. No version of him could hear and see all that, and feel anything but horror and grief.
(he's eighteen again, walking home from his mother's funeral)
It's later in the day when he finally notices Bucky's absence. Doesn't worry him at first - he'd seemed, of all things, interested in the mission. Steve had been trying to do the same thing, walking the nicer districts this time and getting one of those tech tours. But hours pass and there's still no sign of him at the Bearings, his room looking like it was left in a hurry.
A train brings him to the same platform he'd exited with Lexa a few days ago, following a faint trail. For better or worse Steve's understanding of his mental abilities have increased slightly ever since the day he decided to wander through the roots of his Brood. At a distance it's not easy to hold, but he can follow the link as he walks through the streets of Subspace. Keeps his head down - might've been a good idea to bring someone else with him. A trio of young men size him up as he passes a boarded up building. ]